Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Guatemala Ant Observations

Started By ANTdrew , Jun 30 2023 7:41 PM

  • Please log in to reply
13 replies to this topic

#1 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 30 2023 - 7:41 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
I’ll start up this thread to document some of the amazing ants I’m observing during a trip to the central highlands of Guatemala. Please chime in with ID suggestions since I’m basically at a total loss here.

Here is my first observation, some sort of Pheidole with a ridiculously huge head. This one was in a cloud forest.
DA41000-C-6425-4-AA3-9565-D1-F95-ED32-D8
  • futurebird, Ernteameise and 100lols like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#2 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 30 2023 - 7:44 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Here are some Atta mexicana, which are very abundant:
BA0-E91-D1-528-A-48-DA-A77-C-94623-B2-C6
  • aznphenom, futurebird, Ernteameise and 1 other like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 1 2023 - 3:04 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Another massive Solenopsis major. This one was 7mm at least.
DC893-F19-365-C-471-E-9975-1680-EFA195-B
EDE8-B355-ED04-4-B76-ADAA-0-ABC6-C72-AC4

Edited by ANTdrew, July 1 2023 - 1:06 PM.

  • Ernteameise and 100lols like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#4 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 1 2023 - 3:14 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Some sort of small, stubby looking Camponotus. Formicines are not that abundant down here.

AD3-C3985-FB55-4-D66-9264-3-B11690700-BD
  • Ernteameise and 100lols like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#5 Offline Mettcollsuss - Posted July 1 2023 - 6:41 AM

Mettcollsuss

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,705 posts
  • LocationChicago, IL

Another massive Pheidole major. This one was 7mm at least.

Solenopsis geminata. It's not quite visible here but Solenopsis have a 2-segmented antennal club while Pheidole have a 3 (or rarely 4) segmented club. The most easily visible difference here should be the petiole shape, Solenopsis and most other solenopsidines have a pretty characteristic petiole. The node of the petiole is taller but somewhat skinny, just about equal in height with the postpetiole. The best I can describe it, the petioles appear to run parallel with themselves.

 

Some sort of small, stubby looking Camponotus. Formicines are not that abundant down here.

The only similar looking species AntWeb lists for Guatemala are species like C. zoc or C. abscisus, though there are some more similar species in nearby regions. I can't really narrow it down to a subgenus since I can't tell how wide the propodeum is; it should be either Myrmobrachys or Myrmaphaenus.


  • ANTdrew likes this

My Ant Journals

 

My Trachymyrmex septentrionalis Journal

 

My YouTube Channel

 

The Ant-Keeping & Ethology Discord Server

#6 Offline Manitobant - Posted July 1 2023 - 9:30 AM

Manitobant

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,900 posts
  • LocationWinnipeg, Canada
I think the pheidole might be fimbriata, the closest relative of P. rhea and interesting from an evolutionary standpoint as the most primitive member of the genus.

Edited by Manitobant, July 1 2023 - 9:34 AM.

  • ANTdrew likes this
My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#7 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 1 2023 - 1:14 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA


Another massive Pheidole major. This one was 7mm at least.

Solenopsis geminata. It's not quite visible here but Solenopsis have a 2-segmented antennal club while Pheidole have a 3 (or rarely 4) segmented club. The most easily visible difference here should be the petiole shape, Solenopsis and most other solenopsidines have a pretty characteristic petiole. The node of the petiole is taller but somewhat skinny, just about equal in height with the postpetiole. The best I can describe it, the petioles appear to run parallel with themselves.

Some sort of small, stubby looking Camponotus. Formicines are not that abundant down here.

The only similar looking species AntWeb lists for Guatemala are species like C. zoc or C. abscisus, though there are some more similar species in nearby regions. I can't really narrow it down to a subgenus since I can't tell how wide the propodeum is; it should be either Myrmobrachys or Myrmaphaenus.
Thanks! You guys are truly amazing. C. zoc looks more like it to me due to head shape. I can try to get more photos of the propodeum.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#8 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 1 2023 - 1:20 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
I found this bellicose beauty floating in a swimming pool. Looks like a large Pheidole queen to me. She is about 7-8mm. Any thoughts?

19828-C87-E179-4-A7-C-9-BF3-DFC8-CA75268
  • antsriondel and 100lols like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#9 Offline antsriondel - Posted July 1 2023 - 1:31 PM

antsriondel

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 915 posts
  • LocationRiondel British Columbia Canada.

Nice find! Definitely some Pheidole species.


#10 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 2 2023 - 3:26 PM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Here’s another photo of those small, flower loving Camponotus:
132916-D2-D19-E-4-C49-A939-C1-B6-DD4-F57

947865-DF-D5-FB-4-C61-901-E-04-F153-EAE6

Edited by ANTdrew, July 2 2023 - 3:28 PM.

  • 100lols likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#11 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 3 2023 - 6:31 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
I just found this beauty on the steps of our place here in Guatemala:
8-BB8-CFCB-0103-4-C4-A-8402-C0276-ED284-

67-B5-F926-D1-EC-48-F2-92-F1-ADE6-D8-AF9
  • antsriondel and 100lols like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#12 Offline Virginian_ants - Posted July 3 2023 - 7:42 AM

Virginian_ants

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 605 posts
  • LocationCharlottesville, VA
What type of queen is she

#13 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 3 2023 - 9:05 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,415 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA

What type of queen is she

One of the five bajillion Pheidole species??
  • antsriondel likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#14 Offline Virginian_ants - Posted July 3 2023 - 9:28 AM

Virginian_ants

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 605 posts
  • LocationCharlottesville, VA
Cool!
Back to General Anting · Next Unread Topic →


0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users