14 replies to this topic

[mike.omeg]

I rolled over a large (24" diamater) old pine log today and found a huge colony of these ants living underneath the bottom bark.  Many hundreds of workers as well as vast numbers, possibly >1,000, larvae and pupae.  I carefully placed the log back and place and sincerely hope that colony recovers well from the disturbance.

 

They key out on my end to Stigmatomma oregonense but I want to see what others think.  I would love to get a colony of these going but I see limited information about their care.  If anyone has a link or lead on care please share.  Thanks!

 

Collection specifics:

Date: 6-2-19

Location: Oak woodland

 

 

 

 

Edited by mike.omeg, June 2 2019 - 11:48 AM.

[AntPhycho]

Upload your pictures to Imgur and paste the bbcode link to embed your photos.  We do not have access to your drive.

[VoidElecent]

I am unable to access the Google Drive albums. Please take your time embedding photographs.

 

Measurements would be nice, too.

[mike.omeg]

Sorry on my end the embeded images worked.  But my company has Gdrive locked down to the outside.  I uploaded the photos to a gallery on this forum and edited.  Sorry for the delay.

[VoidElecent]

Stigmatomma oregonense does indeed seem accurate. What a find!

Edited by VoidElecent, June 2 2019 - 12:26 PM.

[rbarreto]

Can you get a closer picture of the clypeal margin? It kinda looks convex in some of the pictures which would mean this is Stigmatomma pallipes.

[mike.omeg]

Can you get a closer picture of the clypeal margin? It kinda looks convex in some of the pictures which would mean this is Stigmatomma pallipes.

 

Here is the best picture I can take.  I have a macro lens setup for my cell but it still does not get close in for the finer points, such as mouthparts. I hope this helps!

 

[rbarreto]

Hmm, I can't really tell from these pictures. The head is quite wide which makes me lean towards S. oregonense. Can't be sure though.

Edited by rbarreto, June 2 2019 - 12:32 PM.

[mike.omeg]

Hmm, I can't really tell from these pictures. The head is quite wide which makes me lean towards S. oregonense. Can't be sure though.

Thanks rbarr.  I know that a scope is needed for the finer species determinations.  I sure wish I had a nice Lieca scope with a USB camera.  Alas!

[VoidElecent]

Even the "straight" clypeal margin of the Antweb S. pallipes specimen looks a little convex. Without much better photos, there's no way to be sure. Based on distribution, I'd say this is more likely S. oregonense.

Edited by VoidElecent, June 2 2019 - 12:39 PM.

[rbarreto]

Even the "straight" clypeal margin of the Antweb S. pallipes specimen looks a little convex. Without much better photos, there's no way to be sure. Based on distribution, I'd say this is more likely S. oregonense.

I think the S. pallipes clypeal margin is supposed to be convex, S. oregonense has the straight one.

Edited by rbarreto, June 2 2019 - 12:46 PM.

[VoidElecent]

 

Even the "straight" clypeal margin of the Antweb S. pallipes specimen looks a little convex. Without much better photos, there's no way to be sure. Based on distribution, I'd say this is more likely S. oregonense.

I think the S. pallipes clypeal margin is supposed to be convex, S. oregonense has the straight one.

 

 

Yeah, you're right. I mixed them up.

[ponerinecat]

you probably already know, but these are queens

[mike.omeg]

you probably already know, but these are queens

I thought they were queens.  The funny thing is I scooped them out of a group of hundreds of ants.  How many queens will this species have in one colony?  I know they are poly but how poly? Thanks!

[Ferox_Formicae]

 

you probably already know, but these are queens

I thought they were queens.  The funny thing is I scooped them out of a group of hundreds of ants.  How many queens will this species have in one colony?  I know they are poly but how poly? Thanks!

 

I saw this one picture from Alex Wild of a colony of Stigmatomma pallipes with about 20 ants in the picture. 1 was a worker. I think it's safe to assume they're pretty polygynous!