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(Ponerine - New York City) A queen or worker?

Started By CreeperUniverse , May 15 2020 7:31 PM
ponerine ponera queen worker id

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7 replies to this topic

#1 Offline CreeperUniverse - Posted May 15 2020 - 7:31 PM

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While sifting through some soil, I found this peculiar looking ponerine ant. I have talked to a few people and cannot really tell if it is a queen or not (mostly leaning on worker). Sorry for the bad pictures, but it's the best I can really get. The ant is maybe ~2mm. I have it set up in a tube with some soil. If it's a queen, will it make a small chamber and start trying to forage for food? If it's not, how will it behave?
 

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#2 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 16 2020 - 6:37 AM

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That’s a worker. The thorax and gaster are too small to be a queen.
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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#3 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted May 16 2020 - 7:22 AM

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I have a P. pennsylvanica queen and she is a more heavily built than that one is.


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#4 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 16 2020 - 8:07 AM

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I have a P. pennsylvanica queen and she is a more heavily built than that one is.

I've see lots of queens of this species, and I concur.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#5 Offline Skwiggledork - Posted May 16 2020 - 8:08 AM

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NI2aYSy.png

 

Look for wing scars, like this one had.


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#6 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted May 16 2020 - 9:22 AM

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I and another keeper have found ergatoid Ponera pennsylvanica queens.

 

It is a worker, though. Just mentioning that wing scars might not be a reliable indicator in this species. 


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#7 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 16 2020 - 9:25 AM

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I and another keeper have found ergatoid Ponera pennsylvanica queens.

 

It is a worker, though. Just mentioning that wing scars might not be a reliable indicator in this species. 

You can still tell it's a worker by the proportions of its thorax and gaster, though. I didn't use wing scars at all.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#8 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted May 17 2020 - 2:18 PM

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I'm not even sure if mine is a queen or not. Pretty sure it is though. A microscope would be the best way to find out with these guys.


Edited by Kaelwizard, May 17 2020 - 2:19 PM.

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