9 replies to this topic

[Am3ricanBanana]

Hi all, I went over to Borrego Springs to look for some queens but had no luck. Found a few different species that I would love to get id's for. Sorry for not having accurate measurements!

 

Number 1

1. Location of collection: Borrego Springs, CA 

2. Habitat of collection: desert scrub
3. Length: My biggest blunder, forgot to measure. Guess is 5-6 mm.
4. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Dark brown almost black head, maroon thorax and gaster, short hairs on gaster.
5. Distinguishing characteristics: Two petiole nodes, 11 antennal segments.
6. Nest description: Not much soil around the nest.

 

 

Number 2

1. Location of collection: Borrego Springs, CA 

2. Habitat of collection: desert scrub
3. Length: Forgot to measure. Guess is 4-5 mm for majors, 3-4 mm for minors.
4. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: All black, hairs all over.

5. Distinguishing characteristics: Polymorphic, two petiole nodes.
6. Nest description: Large opening with seed husks 10 cm away.

 

Number 3

1. Location of collection: Borrego Springs, CA 

2. Habitat of collection: desert scrub
3. Length: Forgot to measure. Guess is 5-6 mm.
4. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Whole body is red-orange, hairs on gaster.
5. Distinguishing characteristics: Two petiole nodes.
6. Nest description: Multiple entrances with soil 5 cm around.

 

 

Number 4

1. Location of collection: Borrego Springs, CA 

2. Habitat of collection: desert scrub
3. Length: Forgot to measure. Guess is 1-2 mm.
4. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: Golden color, some with a lighter gaster.
5. Distinguishing characteristics: 
6. Nest description:Single entrance with soil 3 cm around.

 

Number 5

1. Location of collection: Borrego Springs, CA 

2. Habitat of collection: desert scrub
3. Length: Forgot to measure. Guess is 2-3 mm.
4. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: All black, few hairs.
5. Distinguishing characteristics: 
6. Nest description: Single entrance with soil 2 cm around.

 

[Broncos]

1st one is pogonomyrmex rugosus, second one is a veromessor sp. and the 3rd one looks like Pogonomyrmex californicus.


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Edited by Broncos, April 15 2020 - 5:50 AM.

[CheetoLord02]

1: Pogonomyrmex rugosus
2: Veromessor pergandei? probably? 
3: Pogonomyrmex sp, maybe californicus
4: Forelius mccooki
5: Dorymyrmex insanus

[ponerinecat]

1: Pogonomyrmex rugosus
2: Veromessor pergandei? probably? 
3: Pogonomyrmex sp, maybe californicus
4: Forelius mccooki
5: Dorymyrmex insanus

All correct, but leave the forelius and dorymyrmex as genus. there's a lot of lookalikes, we can't tell with these photos.

Edited by ponerinecat, April 15 2020 - 6:52 AM.

[Am3ricanBanana]

Very cool, thanks to everyone.

[CheetoLord02]

All correct, but leave the forelius and dorymyrmex as genus. there's a lot of lookalikes, we can't tell with these photos.

I can understand the forelius possibly being pruinosus (although I'd be willing to bet it's mccooki), but the dorymyrmex is almost certainly insanus, as the only other dorymyrmex species in california are flavus and bicolor, neither of which are gray

[gcsnelling]

There are several undescribed dark Dorymyrmex in California.

[dspdrew]

There are several undescribed dark Dorymyrmex in California.

 

Aren't they just all being called D. insanus for now?

[RushmoreAnts]

That's what I thought.

[gcsnelling]

Yes pretty much but for accuracy sake I go with Dorymyrmex sp or insanus group. The same applies to Dorymyrmex bicolor.