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Plagiolepsis

Started By ponerinecat , May 18 2019 4:41 PM

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#1 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 18 2019 - 4:41 PM

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So I noticed two workers under a tile when I have never seen these anywhere except arizona. I know they are extremely invasive. What do I do?


#2 Offline Aaron567 - Posted May 18 2019 - 6:27 PM

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Florida and Hawaii are the only states that are known to have populations of Plagiolepis. You're likely seeing something else.


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#3 Offline gcsnelling - Posted May 18 2019 - 6:41 PM

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Post a clear picture.


#4 Offline VoidElecent - Posted May 19 2019 - 8:16 AM

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I'm sure many species in AZ, including Brachymyrmex spp. and Nylanderia spp. could be easily mistaken for Plagiolepis. How did you identify the workers?


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#5 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 19 2019 - 9:26 AM

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I'm sure many species in AZ, including Brachymyrmex spp. and Nylanderia spp. could be easily mistaken for Plagiolepis. How did you identify the workers?

extremely small yellow workers with a large abdomen(compared to body), sometimes see dark spots on abdomen. rounded head. smaller than local brachymyrmex.


Post a clear picture.

 

my photography skill are nill. picture would look like a yellow dot.


Edited by ponerinecat, May 19 2019 - 9:26 AM.

#6 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 19 2019 - 9:27 AM

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Florida and Hawaii are the only states that are known to have populations of Plagiolepis. You're likely seeing something else.

 

searched the web, only thing that looks alike is brachymyrmex, which are larger than the two workers I saw. 


#7 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 19 2019 - 5:25 PM

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Can you measure them on a ruler, or collect one and put it under a microspe? One thing that might explain the size, is if they are nanitics.

Edited by NickAnter, May 19 2019 - 5:26 PM.

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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#8 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 19 2019 - 8:09 PM

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Went back to the rock and they are not there. will have to keep an eye out. they were smaller than large springtails, smaller than hypoponera. Pretty sure not nanitics of brachymyrmex.


#9 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 20 2019 - 2:01 PM

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You are sure that it is not a Myrmicine, right?

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#10 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 20 2019 - 2:03 PM

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no, it was not. I know what the general myrmicine looks like.


#11 Offline NickAnter - Posted May 20 2019 - 3:00 PM

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Okay, I'm stumped. Maybe it is Plagiolepis.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#12 Offline gcsnelling - Posted May 20 2019 - 3:07 PM

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Consider Acropyga. I would put money that it is not Plagiolepis.


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#13 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 21 2019 - 3:51 PM

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Maybe... but they were a bit more yellow, like lasius latipes yellow. Also were near the suface, not in the nest, wich I don't think acropyga do.


#14 Offline ponerinecat - Posted September 4 2019 - 8:20 PM

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med_gallery_3141_1423_5011671.jpg

 

med_gallery_3141_1423_224907.jpg

med_gallery_3141_1423_186896.jpg

you doubted me. heres proof.(I think)

 

drugged with ethyl fumes


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#15 Offline AntsBC - Posted September 4 2019 - 8:39 PM

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Acropyga epedana?
 
Totally guessing though, as I'm not good at identifying small ants like these (Without a fair amount of research).

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#16 Offline NickAnter - Posted September 5 2019 - 5:41 AM

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I don't this is Acropyga. It very well be Plagiolepis allaudi. The queen fits pretty well. It is either this or Brachymyrmex depilis.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#17 Offline Martialis - Posted September 5 2019 - 6:09 AM

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This looks like an Acropyga to me. These ants tend to have very distinctive ocellli, which are obvious even in photos of this quality.  The mesosoma is fairly "skinny" where it attaches to the head, which is another distinctive feature of this genus. Neither of these features are necessarily characteristic of Plagiolepis.

 

When you found her, did she have anything in her mouth? Acropyga are obligate coccidophiles, and A. epedana (the only species in Arizona) is  no exception.


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#18 Offline Manitobant - Posted September 5 2019 - 10:47 AM

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This looks like an Acropyga to me. These ants tend to have very distinctive ocellli, which are obvious even in photos of this quality.  The mesosoma is fairly "skinny" where it attaches to the head, which is another distinctive feature of this genus. Neither of these features are necessarily characteristic of Plagiolepis.
 
When you found her, did she have anything in her mouth? Acropyga are obligate coccidophiles, and A. epedana (the only species in Arizona) is  no exception.

the doesnt look like acropyga to me, they have long and thin gasters. I'm putting my bet on brachymyrmex depilis. They are very small, around the same size as solenopsis molesta maybe smaller. They
Are also smaller than other brachymyrmex from what I've seen.
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/

#19 Offline ponerinecat - Posted September 5 2019 - 1:56 PM

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no mealybugs in the mouth, just landed on a blacklight. this things slightly smaller than solenopsis molesta.


#20 Offline ponerinecat - Posted September 5 2019 - 2:04 PM

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YQM03QI0FQ70FQHQVR80FQ3KDQ80CQ80FQU0ORXQ


this is depilis


similar but different


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