8 replies to this topic

[FloridaAnts]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Florida
2. Date of collection: 5/28/2022
3. Habitat of collection: Sidewalk near forest
4. Length (from head to gaster):13-15mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Brownish, black gaster
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Light brown legs, head twice as long as width
7. Distinguishing behavior: When out with a male found within a 0.2mile radius, she started feeding him! I think the from the same colony, but I gave them some time and when I came back, the queen started pulling off wings.
8. Nest description: N/A
9. Nuptial flight time and date: I found her on a sidewalk on May 28th, 10:45PM.

I was thinking Camponotus tortoganus or Camponotus Americanus, but if I knew I wouldn’t be posting here.(Sorry for bad pics)

Edited by FloridaAnts, May 29 2022 - 9:01 AM.

[Manitobant]

Looks like camponotus tortuganus to me.

[ZTYguy]

I highly doubt it being C. Americanus, on the other hand it does look like C. tortuganus, but now I’m pretty sure tortuganus is a synonym of ineaqualis.

[FloridaAnts]

Adding to list of more ants similar to C. Floridanus lol(Based on Aaron’s pictures. I have seen tortoganus workers not foraging, but just kind of pacing recently. That’s why I started to look for queens, and I also found Formica Subsericea(99% unmated) but it could be anything.

Opinions that I found it at least 50ft away from a nest, and it was crawling? It could be mated, but it was kind of nice to that male I gave it. Definitely nest mates or mated with him Because immediately she shed wings and started feeding him.

[Manitobant]

I highly doubt it being C. Americanus, on the other hand it does look like C. tortuganus, but now I’m pretty sure tortuganus is a synonym of ineaqualis.

to be fair, the whole inaequalis thing is a taxonomic mess.

[ZTYguy]

I highly doubt it being C. Americanus, on the other hand it does look like C. tortuganus, but now I’m pretty sure tortuganus is a synonym of ineaqualis.

to be fair, the whole inaequalis thing is a taxonomic mess.

Yeah, it’s like the whole quercicola, laevigatus situation. Camponotus is a mess. Same with Myrmecocystus.

[Tai_pan1]

Whatever it is, it’s nice looking.

[Aaron567]

Camponotus inaequalis. The name tortuganus is likely dead indefinitely and will never be used again or at least never be used for a Florida species again.

Edited by Aaron567, May 30 2022 - 1:53 PM.

[ZTYguy]

You can even look up C. tortuganus on Inat and it’s considered a non described taxon.