35 replies to this topic

[Aaron567]

I’ll try and see what I can find! Also, is it just me or does it seem like the propodeal spines on these ants are shorter than on T. ambiguus and more closely resemble (as an example) the spines on T. schaumii?

 

Yeah, I noticed that too. They look like little stubs.

[NickAnter]

That was why I thought bradleyi looked pretty close, as the spines seem to match quite well.

[CatsnAnts]

Should I get closer pictures of the antennae to count the segments? Or will that not help narrow it down?

Edit: I used some of my previous photos of the queens and counted 11 segments multiple times, so I’m positive they have 11 segmented antennae.

Double edit: after following a key several times through, this species shares the most traits with T. schaumii, so it might be an undescribed species in the schaumii complex?

Edited by CatsnAnts, September 1 2020 - 8:23 AM.

[CatsnAnts]

Just a bump to see if anyone has any more ID suggestions. I contacted the entomology department of a local university as well as a myrmecologist to see what they have to say. I will be sending them a preserved worker some time in the future. In the meantime, I’ve been doing a lot of research on my own and haven’t happened to find a match yet, even exotic species.

[CatsnAnts]

Hey there!

I’m back after a lot of inactivity, just woke up my ants from hibernation and am ready to get back into it! As such, I figured it was time to look into this species again, so here I am after several months bumping up this topic to see if anyone has any more suggestions. The colony in question just came out of hibernation as well, and should have enough workers for me to preserve one and get it identified soon. I guess I’m really just hoping it’s a new species . Since I lost a decent amount of what progress I had made in identifying this species, would someone be able to direct me to someone who could confirm that this is or is not an undescribed species?

[antsandmore]

Hey there!

I’m back after a lot of inactivity, just woke up my ants from hibernation and am ready to get back into it! As such, I figured it was time to look into this species again, so here I am after several months bumping up this topic to see if anyone has any more suggestions. The colony in question just came out of hibernation as well, and should have enough workers for me to preserve one and get it identified soon. I guess I’m really just hoping it’s a new species . Since I lost a decent amount of what progress I had made in identifying this species, would someone be able to direct me to someone who could confirm that this is or is not an undescribed species?

have you contacted a local researcher? I would do that

[madbiologist]

I have also encountered queens like this! They're super easy to find during the summer when blacklighting, so I'll have to grab some queen specimens and then raise others for worker specimens.

Edited by madbiologist, May 21 2021 - 10:56 AM.

[mprebus]

Hey there!

I’m back after a lot of inactivity, just woke up my ants from hibernation and am ready to get back into it! As such, I figured it was time to look into this species again, so here I am after several months bumping up this topic to see if anyone has any more suggestions. The colony in question just came out of hibernation as well, and should have enough workers for me to preserve one and get it identified soon. I guess I’m really just hoping it’s a new species . Since I lost a decent amount of what progress I had made in identifying this species, would someone be able to direct me to someone who could confirm that this is or is not an undescribed species?

[mprebus]

Hey there!

I’m back after a lot of inactivity, just woke up my ants from hibernation and am ready to get back into it! As such, I figured it was time to look into this species again, so here I am after several months bumping up this topic to see if anyone has any more suggestions. The colony in question just came out of hibernation as well, and should have enough workers for me to preserve one and get it identified soon. I guess I’m really just hoping it’s a new species . Since I lost a decent amount of what progress I had made in identifying this species, would someone be able to direct me to someone who could confirm that this is or is not an undescribed species?

 

Hi there. This is a species that I’m working on describing. It’s usually misidentified as Temnothorax ambiguus, but has more of a southern distribution. It seems to nest in dead twigs on live trees, especially hickory. I have seen any males of this yet though. Were you able to rear any?

Edited by mprebus, February 3 2023 - 8:40 PM.

[ANTdrew]

I sent him a message. Hopefully he’ll get in touch with you. College is keeping him busy.

[CatsnAnts]

Hi there. This is a species that I’m working on describing. It’s usually misidentified as Temnothorax ambiguus, but has more of a southern distribution. It seems to nest in dead twigs on live trees, especially hickory. I have seen any males of this yet though. Were you able to rear any?

Hey there! Quite a while since I’ve been back on here. Surprisingly, I actually contacted you approximately two years back and sent what specimens and photos I had! This summer I’m confident that I will be able to collect many of these queens, so if you would like any for whatever purpose, just let me know! And if you would like me to resend my original photos, I can also do that, I will simply forward our email thread again

Edit:
-as for males I haven’t been successful yet, most of the Temnothorax males I see look incredibly similar to my eyes when captured. I will attempt to raise a few colonies this summer and continue to do so until they have males in the colony.

Edit:
(Actually it appears that I lost your email or it has moved, so let me know what you want me to do on that, feel free to private message)

Also thanks Andrew! Got my back ahah

Edited by CatsnAnts, May 22 2023 - 10:52 AM.

[antperson24]

I finally got some pictures of the worker(s), but it was at the expense of one queen escaping, never to be seen again  -   However, I'm almost certain she was unmated, so not a big deal.

 

Anyways, after examining these photos, it's clear to say that this is not T. ambiguus nor T. curvispinosus because the propodeal spines are really stubby, unlike the long spines of the species just mentioned. I'm stumped on what they could be:

 

Ya definitely not T. curvispinosus, I keep T. curvispinosus and they look completely different. Also what camera do you use? I have a camera that can get photos of that quality on Camponotus, but it can barely focus on Temnothorax. 

[AntsCali098]

 

Hi there. This is a species that I’m working on describing. It’s usually misidentified as Temnothorax ambiguus, but has more of a southern distribution. It seems to nest in dead twigs on live trees, especially hickory. I have seen any males of this yet though. Were you able to rear any?

Hey there! Quite a while since I’ve been back on here. Surprisingly, I actually contacted you approximately two years back and sent what specimens and photos I had (email is jgr.6333@icloud.com)! This summer I’m confident that I will be able to collect many of these queens, so if you would like any for whatever purpose, just let me know! And if you would like me to resend my original photos, I can also do that, I will simply forward our email thread again

Edit:
-as for males I haven’t been successful yet, most of the Temnothorax males I see look incredibly similar to my eyes when captured. I will attempt to raise a few colonies this summer and continue to do so until they have males in the colony.

Edit:
(Actually it appears that I lost your email or it has moved, so let me know what you want me to do on that, feel free to private message)

Also thanks Andrew! Got my back ahah

 

Glad to see you back on this thread! I hope you are able to find a new species. 

[CatsnAnts]

Ya definitely not T. curvispinosus, I keep T. curvispinosus and they look completely different. Also what camera do you use? I have a camera that can get photos of that quality on Camponotus, but it can barely focus on Temnothorax.

You are correct, here is the antweb page for them:
https://www.antweb.o...03&rank=species

Mathew has been working on this species for a while, so he helped me to identify them a couple years back.

Also, I wrote a whole guide on how I do macro photography (mostly for myself to relearn when I inevitably forget, like right now). Please ignore the cringiness, I’m not quite sure what I was on when writing it:
https://www.formicul...s/?fromsearch=1

[antperson24]

 

Ya definitely not T. curvispinosus, I keep T. curvispinosus and they look completely different. Also what camera do you use? I have a camera that can get photos of that quality on Camponotus, but it can barely focus on Temnothorax.

You are correct, here is the antweb page for them:
https://www.antweb.o...03&rank=species

Mathew has been working on this species for a while, so he helped me to identify them a couple years back.

Also, I wrote a whole guide on how I do macro photography (mostly for myself to relearn when I inevitably forget, like right now). Please ignore the cringiness, I’m not quite sure what I was on when writing it:
https://www.formicul...s/?fromsearch=1

 

Thanks, I will be sure to read that!

[antperson24]

 

Ya definitely not T. curvispinosus, I keep T. curvispinosus and they look completely different. Also what camera do you use? I have a camera that can get photos of that quality on Camponotus, but it can barely focus on Temnothorax.

You are correct, here is the antweb page for them:
https://www.antweb.o...03&rank=species

Mathew has been working on this species for a while, so he helped me to identify them a couple years back.

Also, I wrote a whole guide on how I do macro photography (mostly for myself to relearn when I inevitably forget, like right now). Please ignore the cringiness, I’m not quite sure what I was on when writing it:
https://www.formicul...s/?fromsearch=1

 

Deleted.

Edited by antperson24, February 10 2023 - 11:07 AM.