21 replies to this topic

[Maculata]

Crematogaster isolata or a close relative (95%)

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Tucson, AZ, southern foothills of Santa Catalina Mountains
2. Date of collection: July 24, 2019
3. Habitat of collection: Sonoran Desert, 2400ft, foothills of Santa Catalina Mountains, mesquite trees and cactus
4. Length (from head to gaster): Queen 9 mm on capture - In full egg production 10.5mm, almost 11mm 
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: 
6. Distinguishing characteristics:  Very rapid colony growth once established; 20 workers  in 5 weeks + 30 eggs, larva & pupae; test tube kept at 78 to 85 degrees (daily variation)
7. Distinguishing behavior: Excitable; likes frozen-thawed fruit flies; honey o.k. for sugars
8. Nest description:  

 

Album: Tucson, AZ, Crematogaster sp., July 2019

41 images

0 comments

 

In full egg production by August 30th:

 

 

Added pictures of the first nanitics and some closeups.  Any chance of a species ID?

 

 

Edited by Maculata, August 31 2019 - 9:45 AM.

[Derpy]

Looks like a pheidole species.

[AntsBC]

This is actually a Crematogaster species.

[Derpy]

This is actually a Crematogaster species.

Oh yeah definitely crematogaster, I was too focused on the head.

[dspdrew]

Please use a ruler when measuring. Your measurements are WAY off. I say it's Crematogaster too, despite the 3.8 mm measurement.

[Maculata]

Corrent - using the wrong scale... 3.8" or 9mm

[dspdrew]

Corrent - using the wrong scale... 3.8" or 9mm

 

That's much better.

[Maculata]

Added some picts of nanitics and better picts of the queen. 

The queen eats a fruit fly then feed the nanitics.

 

Any chance of a species name?

 

[PacificNorthWestern]

looks like Crematogastor, get a pic with the abdomen, are they heart shaped or pointed?

[Maculata]

Added one more:

Edited by Maculata, August 24 2019 - 8:29 PM.

[ponerinecat]

Def crematogaster, how do you take these? They're really good.

[Martialis]

Macro lens

[Maculata]

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)

Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square

Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus

The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean.  Good that ants groom themselves.

Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube.  At that level, no test tube I have found

(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth.  Very annoying...    

 

A favorite:

Temnothorax sp.

[Standing on cotton.]

Edited by Maculata, August 24 2019 - 8:59 PM.

[rbarreto]

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...

A favorite:
Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.

Edited by rbarreto, August 24 2019 - 11:42 PM.

[gcsnelling]

Spines

 

 

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...

A favorite:
Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.

 

 

The spines are far too short to be that species. which does not occur in Az. This is probably one of those species which until recently was known as T. rugatulus 

 

Try running it thru this key.

 

https://www.antwiki....d_Temnothoraxru

[rbarreto]

Spines
 

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...
A favorite:Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.

 
The spines are far too short to be that species. which does not occur in Az. This is probably one of those species which until recently was known as T. rugatulus 
 
Try running it thru this key.
 
https://www.antwiki....d_Temnothoraxru

Ugh.. Can't ever trust antwiki lol

[Maculata]

Crematogaster species

Added some pupae closeups

 

Edited by Maculata, August 28 2019 - 11:53 PM.

[gcsnelling]

 

Spines
 

 

Canon 5D Mark III with MP-E 65mm Macro 1:2.8 1x-5x magnification (specialty lens - only macro)
Hard lens to use; however, you can put 24MPixels on 1/4"x1/4" square
Like all macro shots, need lots of light and you have a very shallow depth of focus
The object you want to take a picture of must be exceptionally clean. Good that ants groom themselves.
Most of the distortion in the images is from the test tube. At that level, no test tube I have found
(Glass or Plastic) is optically smooth. Very annoying...
A favorite:Temnothorax sp.[/size]
[Standing on cotton.]

Those curved spines indicate Temnothorax curvispinosus.

 
The spines are far too short to be that species. which does not occur in Az. This is probably one of those species which until recently was known as T. rugatulus 
 
Try running it thru this key.
 
https://www.antwiki....d_Temnothoraxru

Ugh.. Can't ever trust antwiki lol

 

 

Not a matter of trusting antwike, but misinterpreting the features and trying to make identifications based on photos.

[Martialis]

I went on to Antwiki and tried to key this one out. I'm not certain, but I'm 95% sure this is Crematogaster isolata or a close relative. This species is known to be arboreal, living in forests like the habitat you described in Southern Arizona. Their morphology matches, too.  Crematogaster lineolata is a less sure identification.

[Maculata]

Thanks.  

 

In full production!

 

 

Habitat