18 replies to this topic

[BitT]

1. Location (on a map): Central Florida

2. Date of collection: Collected June 04, 2020

3. Habitat of collection: Sidewalk

4. Length:

5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture:

6. Distinguishing characteristics:

7. Distinguishing behavior: Very zoomy. She only rested to clean herself where I could get a picture then zoomed some more.

8. Nest description: N/A

9. Nuptial flight time and date: I'm guessing June 04, 2020, found about 8AM-ish, saw no others.

10. Post the clearest pictures: Attached file.

 

When I first saw her I thought she was another Brachymyrmex (Obscurior or Patagonicus) until I realized she seemed a bit bigger and leggier. Her antennae seem pretty long too.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit Below:

 

Bumping this because there is still confusion on if this is a Paratrechina longicornis or a Nylanderia bourbonica. I would like a few more opinions since it's pretty much a 1:1 and I'm still learning so I'd like to gather as much information and advice as I can. Added some pictures and a video to the original post in hopes it will help.

 

Sized by a 100th of an inch ruler.

 

Sized by a CM ruler. Sadly they didn't have a MM ruler in the basic store so probably going to have to order one online or check a hardware/tool store.

 

And a video of her. Hopefully it is clearer than the pictures. Sorry for the shakes, I could never be a surgeon.

 

I suppose if it comes down to it we could try again when she has workers or if I ever get a better way to take clearer pictures. Maybe I can borrow my mother's camera if it has a micro lens.

 

Edit For Video:

 

Nylanderia bourbonica? Paratrechina Longicornis?

 

I'm still having trouble telling the difference with the workers. Could someone explain the differences to me again? And if someone has comparison pictures of the two species? I keep looking online but I can't be 100% they aren't misidentified either and I'm still waiting on my two ant books I ordered which will hopefully help me in the future.

Edited by BitT, July 8 2020 - 8:48 PM.

[NickAnter]

Probably a Nylanderia sp.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Definitely not Nylanderia, as all Nylanderia species in the US (I assume this would be bourbonica) have prominent macrosetae throughout their bodies. This is the queen of Paratrechina longicornis, which lack prominent macrosetae.

[NickAnter]

Okay. Thank you for the info, I didn't know that.

[AntsDakota]

These will breed in the nest.

[BitT]

Thank you everyone!

[BitT]

Bumping this because there is still confusion on if this is a Paratrechina longicornis or a Nylanderia bourbonica. I would like a few more opinions since it's pretty much a 1:1 and I'm still learning so I'd like to gather as much information and advice as I can. Added some pictures and a video to the original post in hopes it will help.

[Aaron567]

Looks more like N. bourbonica to me. It probably has macrosetae that just aren't visible in these pictures due to not high enough magnification. It'll be pretty easy to tell once the workers are born because P. longicornis workers are much lankier.

[TechAnt]

Yeah, just wait till first workers arrive then somebody could probably give a better ID.

[BitT]

Ok, now that I have pretty much 3 people thinking it's more likely a Nylanderia bourbonica I'm leaning towards that. But I will take your guys' advice and just wait, if a bit impatiently/excitedly, for workers. I'm going to try my best to avoid mislabeling my ants but I suppose sometimes it can't be helped. I'll go edit her journal now to include the N. bourbonica species name until we get the mystery officially solved. Thanks as always, everyone!

[BitT]

Just a little bump since I'm still clueless in the differences. But now she has workers perhaps it will help you all to help me? I love their long antennae either way. And again I appreciate the help, hoping one day I'll have a keener understanding how to properly identify them. Ug, and it's so late I should be in bed. RIP

[Aaron567]

The workers at least confirm Nylanderia. It is probably bourbonica but could perhaps also be steinheili.

[BitT]

The workers at least confirm Nylanderia. It is probably bourbonica but could perhaps also be steinheili.

Thank you! How were you able to tell? I looked at pictures of both species and still had a hard time telling them apart. What signs did you look for? How can I tell them apart in the future?

[Aaron567]

Nylanderia bourbonica workers appear quite a bit larger in the field than Paratrechina longicornis, being around the same length but much bulkier with a wider head and usually with a much larger/inflated gaster. Sometimes you are able to see a slight purplish iridescence on the body of P. longicornis; N. bourbonica does not have this at all. If it makes any sense, N. bourbonica are just easier to "see" because of how much bulkier they appear. Also, the eyes of P. longicornis workers are a lot larger in relation to the head, and I was able to easily see that the workers in your video have smaller eyes.

[ANTdrew]

Nylanderia bourbonica workers appear quite a bit larger in the field than Paratrechina longicornis, being around the same length but much bulkier with a wider head and usually with a much larger/inflated gaster. Sometimes you are able to see a slight purplish iridescence on the body of P. longicornis; N. bourbonica does not have this at all. If it makes any sense, N. bourbonica are just easier to "see" because of how much bulkier they appear. Also, the eyes of P. longicornis workers are a lot larger in relation to the head, and I was able to easily see that the workers in your video have smaller eyes.

I want to do a month long internship with Aaron567.

Edited by ANTdrew, July 9 2020 - 9:32 AM.

[BitT]

Thank you, Aaron567, that was extremely helpful! What differences would I look for between a Nylanderia bourbonica and a Nylanderia steinheili? Sorry, just have to squeeze out all the knowledge I can from your brain and anyone else I can learn from!

 

ANTdrew, I agree! lol

[Aaron567]

Thank you, Aaron567, that was extremely helpful! What differences would I look for between a Nylanderia bourbonica and a Nylanderia steinheili? Sorry, just have to squeeze out all the knowledge I can from your brain and anyone else I can learn from!

 

ANTdrew, I agree! lol

 

I've never seen steinheili in person but it seems like a bunch of microscopic differences between them and bourbonica, just like how it is with nearly all the other Nylanderia in Florida. N. bourbonica have black coxae (first segment of the leg) and N. steinheili have white coxae, for one example. You're overall much more likely to be finding bourbonica, especially if you found the queen in a disturbed/urban/suburban area.

Edited by Aaron567, July 9 2020 - 6:57 PM.

[BitT]

 

Thank you, Aaron567, that was extremely helpful! What differences would I look for between a Nylanderia bourbonica and a Nylanderia steinheili? Sorry, just have to squeeze out all the knowledge I can from your brain and anyone else I can learn from!

 

ANTdrew, I agree! lol

 

I've never seen steinheili in person but it seems like a bunch of microscopic differences between them and bourbonica, just like how it is with nearly all the other Nylanderia in Florida. N. bourbonica have black coxae (first segment of the leg) and N. steinheili have white coxae, for one example. You're overall much more likely to be finding bourbonica, especially if you found the queen in a disturbed/urban/suburban area.

 

Oh, interesting. Well, maybe after they start putting old workers in a graveyard I'll see if I can get one under a microscope. For now I'll assume they are N. bourbonica since they're likely to be that.Though I am curious who first noticed these such tiny differences between them. I was pretty confused when first looking at pictures of bourbonica and steinheili since they looked pretty much the same to me. Thank you for taking the time to explain it to me.

[123LordOfAnts123]

Judging by antweb pics, N. steinheili is also considerably smaller, with queens averaging 3-3.5mm and workers 2mm. N. bourbonica is our largest species of Nylanderia. Having seen thousands of these queens in my driveway alone over the years there’s really no question regarding her identity.

Edited by 123LordOfAnts123, July 9 2020 - 7:20 PM.