2 replies to this topic

[Izzy]

I was down in southern Utah near the Arizona border and I came across two species of harvester ants I haven't seen before. Sorry these are not the best photos as I was shooting with my phone.

 

I'm positive the first is Pogonomyrmex rugosus. I thought I had seen these in person before, but having seen them this time I don't think I have. They were much bigger and very clearly darker on their front half.

 

 

The other two I am not sure about. I think it is either a Pogonomyrmex bicolor, or Veromessor lobognathus. P. bicolor are not found in Utah as far as I know, but given the proximity to Arizona where they are found I think it could be possible. Also one thing to note about this colony, is there were both workers that were entirely red, and workers that were red with a black abdomen. I saw ants of both appearances crawling into the same hole. They had a pile of seeds outside their nest. Here is a picture of both variations.

 

 

I figured its a long shot we'd be able to identify for sure with these pictures, but I thought maybe I'd check and see if anyone had a trick to tell between Veromessor and Pogonomyrmex from eyeballing it. I'm leaning towards Veromessor as they just seemed a bit more slender than any Pogonomyrmex I've seen.

Edited by Izzy, May 16 2024 - 7:35 PM.

[ReignofRage]

First picture is Pogonomyrmex rugosus. The second and third pictures are likely bicolored P. californicus. In some populations of P. californicus, the workers are mixed with concolor and bicolor coloration patterns. The "trick" to distinguishing Veromessor and Pogonomyrmex is as follows: Veromessor have a depressed propodeum, where as the mesonotal dosum of Pogonomyrmex is flat or an even curve.

 

Lateral/profile of the Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri holotype specimen. 

 

Lateral/profile of the Veromessor smithi holotype specimen.

Edited by ReignofRage, May 16 2024 - 11:20 PM.

[gcsnelling]

And Reign for the win.