24 replies to this topic

[robbiesants]

1. Backyard in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

2. 3/12/2021 (3rd of December 2021)
3. On the pathway, concrete maybe
4. Between 3 and 4 millimeters
5. Dark brown head to a nearly black body and les. Shiny and smooth but looked like it had setae on the head.
6. 'humped' back (not sure how to better describe it sorry!). 1 node with setae on its anus, no stinger. The summit of the node 'peaked'.

7. N/A
8. I'll show a picture, it will be clearer
9. N/A
10.       

 

I've never used a forum before so if anything's wrong please let me know!

[SYUTEO]

Maybe it's Anonychomyrma.

[PaigeX]

Maybe it's Anonychomyrma.

I had a check on AntWeb and it seems SA does not have Anonychomyma, Other wise that would be it.
Might be Camponotus lividipes, looks very similar to here: https://www.antweb.o...shot=p&number=1
Other wise until The user gets a better picture we won't be able to know.

[Chickalo]

 

Maybe it's Anonychomyrma.

I had a check on AntWeb and it seems SA does not have Anonychomyma, Other wise that would be it.
Might be Camponotus lividipes, looks very similar to here: https://www.antweb.o...shot=p&number=1
Other wise until The user gets a better picture we won't be able to know.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all Camponotus have flat backs, in the second photo the mesosoma seems pretty bumpy so I'd rule out Camponotus, maybe it's only that for North America though.  I'm not going to actually try to name a possible genus though because Australia is a bit much for me.

[robbiesants]

Maybe it's Anonychomyrma.

I had a look at the anonychomyrma genus and it seems as though they are generally odorous and prefer arboreal nests. this one was definitely in the ground.

[robbiesants]

Maybe it's Anonychomyrma.

I had a check on AntWeb and it seems SA does not have Anonychomyma, Other wise that would be it.
Might be Camponotus lividipes, looks very similar to here: https://www.antweb.o...shot=p&number=1
Other wise until The user gets a better picture we won't be able to know.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all Camponotus have flat backs, in the second photo the mesosoma seems pretty bumpy so I'd rule out Camponotus, maybe it's only that for North America though. I'm not going to actually try to name a possible genus though because Australia is a bit much for me.

Camponotus in South Australia at least an have raised backs, I have a guide to some of the camponotus species from our state museum and one of the identification depends on how raised the back is. Thank you though!

[Mettcollsuss]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all Camponotus have flat backs, in the second photo the mesosoma seems pretty bumpy so I'd rule out Camponotus, maybe it's only that for North America though.  I'm not going to actually try to name a possible genus though because Australia is a bit much for me.

Not all Camponotus, but many. C. lividipes does. I'm leaning towards this being Iridomyrmex.

[robbiesants]

Maybe it's Anonychomyrma.

I had a check on AntWeb and it seems SA does not have Anonychomyma, Other wise that would be it.
Might be Camponotus lividipes, looks very similar to here: https://www.antweb.o...shot=p&number=1
Other wise until The user gets a better picture we won't be able to know.

From what I have read on the species it seems like this might be the species. Unfortunately my phone camera is not very good and I do not have an actual camera though I am looking to get one. It seems like their nuptial flight occurs early in January so hopefully I will be able to find a queen. Thank you for your help!

[Mettcollsuss]

From what I have read on the species it seems like this might be the species. Unfortunately my phone camera is not very good and I do not have an actual camera though I am looking to get one. It seems like their nuptial flight occurs early in January so hopefully I will be able to find a queen. Thank you for your help!

The shape of the mesosoma doesn't match Camponotus lividipes. It's also too small.

[robbiesants]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all Camponotus have flat backs, in the second photo the mesosoma seems pretty bumpy so I'd rule out Camponotus, maybe it's only that for North America though. I'm not going to actually try to name a possible genus though because Australia is a bit much for me.

Not all Camponotus, but many. C. lividipes does. I'm leaning towards this being Iridomyrmex.

Are you saying C. lividipes has a raised back? Also do you have any tips on distinguishing between Iridomyrmex and Camponotus? I have a microscope up to 30x but I can't take pictures of the ant magnified because of the poor quality of my phone

[robbiesants]

I seem to have located a major worker of the species. I will attach some photos. In the sunlight it looked like the mesoma was blue-black while the head and gaster were black. However in my house it looks totally black with distinct brown mandibles. I believe it is a major worker because it interacted with the smaller ants but no interactions were hostile. Another observation I made was that from what I could see, it was the only larger ant on the path, but to be fair, there were few smaller ants, because these ants prefer to come out when it is early afternoon to night time. I found it at around 9.30am. I also attached an image of what the mesoma looked like to me, along with the node, to the left of the image      

 

Edited by robbiesants, December 3 2021 - 3:37 PM.

[SYUTEO]

I seem to have located a major worker of the species. I will attach some photos. In the sunlight it looked like the mesoma was blue-black while the head and gaster were black. However in my house it looks totally black with distinct brown mandibles. I believe it is a major worker because it interacted with the smaller ants but no interactions were hostile. Another observation I made was that from what I could see, it was the only larger ant on the path, but to be fair, there were few smaller ants, because these ants prefer to come out when it is early afternoon to night time. I found it at around 9.30am. I also attached an image of what the mesoma looked like to me, along with the node, to the left of the imageIMG_20211204_094404.jpg IMG_20211204_094349.jpg IMG_20211204_094329.jpg IMG_20211204_094215.jpg

That ant is Rhytidoponera, the two are different species, this one has a very different gaster and head shape than the first one.

[robbiesants]

 

I seem to have located a major worker of the species. I will attach some photos. In the sunlight it looked like the mesoma was blue-black while the head and gaster were black. However in my house it looks totally black with distinct brown mandibles. I believe it is a major worker because it interacted with the smaller ants but no interactions were hostile. Another observation I made was that from what I could see, it was the only larger ant on the path, but to be fair, there were few smaller ants, because these ants prefer to come out when it is early afternoon to night time. I found it at around 9.30am. I also attached an image of what the mesoma looked like to me, along with the node, to the left of the imageIMG_20211204_094404.jpg IMG_20211204_094349.jpg IMG_20211204_094329.jpg IMG_20211204_094215.jpg

That ant is Rhytidoponera, the two are different species, this one has a very different gaster and head shape than the first one.

 

 

Oh ok! Whoops! 

[robbiesants]

 

I'm not sure if there's any specific features you guys would like me to show, or look at under my microscope, but here's another picture

[robbiesants]

hopefully last barrage of photos but they have started foraging again and I grabbed this photo of their line and some photos of possibly empty ant nest openings (none of them entered these holes). The last photo is of a hole they appeared to enter which is different from the nest I showed above. Is it possible that they have two entrances/nests, more than 50 metres apart or might I have seen 2 distinct colonies? Tell me what you think

 

(line)

(seemingly unused entrance/nest)

(seemingly unused entrance/nest)

(used entrance/nest)

 

[PaigeX]

 

I seem to have located a major worker of the species. I will attach some photos. In the sunlight it looked like the mesoma was blue-black while the head and gaster were black. However in my house it looks totally black with distinct brown mandibles. I believe it is a major worker because it interacted with the smaller ants but no interactions were hostile. Another observation I made was that from what I could see, it was the only larger ant on the path, but to be fair, there were few smaller ants, because these ants prefer to come out when it is early afternoon to night time. I found it at around 9.30am. I also attached an image of what the mesoma looked like to me, along with the node, to the left of the imageIMG_20211204_094404.jpg IMG_20211204_094349.jpg IMG_20211204_094329.jpg IMG_20211204_094215.jpg

That ant is Rhytidoponera, the two are different species, this one has a very different gaster and head shape than the first one.

 

I originally found one that looked like Rhytidoponera from SA but because of the picture it looked more Camponotus to me at the time.

 

https://www.antweb.o...shot=d&number=1


​Also if its 50meters away its another colony.

Edited by PaigeX, December 3 2021 - 9:50 PM.

[robbiesants]

 

 

I seem to have located a major worker of the species. I will attach some photos. In the sunlight it looked like the mesoma was blue-black while the head and gaster were black. However in my house it looks totally black with distinct brown mandibles. I believe it is a major worker because it interacted with the smaller ants but no interactions were hostile. Another observation I made was that from what I could see, it was the only larger ant on the path, but to be fair, there were few smaller ants, because these ants prefer to come out when it is early afternoon to night time. I found it at around 9.30am. I also attached an image of what the mesoma looked like to me, along with the node, to the left of the imageIMG_20211204_094404.jpg IMG_20211204_094349.jpg IMG_20211204_094329.jpg IMG_20211204_094215.jpg

That ant is Rhytidoponera, the two are different species, this one has a very different gaster and head shape than the first one.

 

I originally found one that looked like Rhytidoponera from SA but because of the picture it looked more Camponotus to me at the time.

 

https://www.antweb.o...shot=d&number=1


​Also if its 50meters away its another colony.

 

 

Yes, this seems like the species! It was very obviously punctated on the head and abdomen. Thank you! It's nice to have a positive identification for that one haha.

 

In terms of the image, considering that I collected the ant in my first post from around that nest it seems like it came from there and I misidentified the nest. However, I have been looking around at different blogs and I'm wondering if the colony could possibly be the black sugar ant or the pavement ant? Let me know what you think

[PaigeX]

 

 

 

I seem to have located a major worker of the species. I will attach some photos. In the sunlight it looked like the mesoma was blue-black while the head and gaster were black. However in my house it looks totally black with distinct brown mandibles. I believe it is a major worker because it interacted with the smaller ants but no interactions were hostile. Another observation I made was that from what I could see, it was the only larger ant on the path, but to be fair, there were few smaller ants, because these ants prefer to come out when it is early afternoon to night time. I found it at around 9.30am. I also attached an image of what the mesoma looked like to me, along with the node, to the left of the imageIMG_20211204_094404.jpg IMG_20211204_094349.jpg IMG_20211204_094329.jpg IMG_20211204_094215.jpg

That ant is Rhytidoponera, the two are different species, this one has a very different gaster and head shape than the first one.

 

I originally found one that looked like Rhytidoponera from SA but because of the picture it looked more Camponotus to me at the time.

 

https://www.antweb.o...shot=d&number=1


​Also if its 50meters away its another colony.

 

 

Yes, this seems like the species! It was very obviously punctated on the head and abdomen. Thank you! It's nice to have a positive identification for that one haha.

 

In terms of the image, considering that I collected the ant in my first post from around that nest it seems like it came from there and I misidentified the nest. However, I have been looking around at different blogs and I'm wondering if the colony could possibly be the black sugar ant or the pavement ant? Let me know what you think

 

I legit just logged back on to say that hahaha. First picture ant might be a black sugar ant or pavement ant. (most likely pavement.) Until better pictures, can't be sure. I'm also new to the ant keeping and have trouble adding an ID to ants I find.
that's why that site is like my best friend right now xD
 

[SYUTEO]

 

 

 

 

I seem to have located a major worker of the species. I will attach some photos. In the sunlight it looked like the mesoma was blue-black while the head and gaster were black. However in my house it looks totally black with distinct brown mandibles. I believe it is a major worker because it interacted with the smaller ants but no interactions were hostile. Another observation I made was that from what I could see, it was the only larger ant on the path, but to be fair, there were few smaller ants, because these ants prefer to come out when it is early afternoon to night time. I found it at around 9.30am. I also attached an image of what the mesoma looked like to me, along with the node, to the left of the imageIMG_20211204_094404.jpg IMG_20211204_094349.jpg IMG_20211204_094329.jpg IMG_20211204_094215.jpg

That ant is Rhytidoponera, the two are different species, this one has a very different gaster and head shape than the first one.

 

I originally found one that looked like Rhytidoponera from SA but because of the picture it looked more Camponotus to me at the time.

 

https://www.antweb.o...shot=d&number=1


​Also if its 50meters away its another colony.

 

 

Yes, this seems like the species! It was very obviously punctated on the head and abdomen. Thank you! It's nice to have a positive identification for that one haha.

 

In terms of the image, considering that I collected the ant in my first post from around that nest it seems like it came from there and I misidentified the nest. However, I have been looking around at different blogs and I'm wondering if the colony could possibly be the black sugar ant or the pavement ant? Let me know what you think

 

I legit just logged back on to say that hahaha. First picture ant might be a black sugar ant or pavement ant. (most likely pavement.) Until better pictures, can't be sure. I'm also new to the ant keeping and have trouble adding an ID to ants I find.
that's why that site is like my best friend right now xD
 

 

I don't think they are pavement ants since they are Myrmicinae ants which have two petiole nodes, this ant only has one.

[PaigeX]

Oooo! i didn't know that or think about it. I know little on that yet xD