6 replies to this topic

[zakro]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Lake Powell, AZ/UT
2. Date of collection: July 3, 2024 – afternoon
3. Habitat of collection: Desert lake beach
4. Length (from head to gaster): 10mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Red to black gradient
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Still has wings — was caught after she flew into my niece's hair

 

I've looked through the ant species listed on stateside ants, and I'm guessing she might be Solenopsis Xyloni? She was literally caught out of the air in my niece's hair, so never landed or shed her wings — I think that makes sense since her natural behavior was interrupted? Hopefully she is fertile — she has a good cohesive cluster of eggs now.

 

Thanks for the help!

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[Artisan_Ants]

Sure it’s S. xyloni? Looks like some sort of Pheidole as the head looks pretty big and 10 mm? Thought Solonopsis was smaller than that but otherwise yeah, that’s S. xyloni.

[ANTdrew]

Looks like a Crematogaster to me.

[ReignofRage]

That is indeed a Crematogaster. Won't really have too much of a chance getting it to species level, but the subgenus is Crematogaster S. Str.

[Artisan_Ants]

Noticed the gaster after you mentioned Crenatogaster and yeah that’s definitely it. I thought it looked different than Solonopsis but the coloration threw me off.

[mbullock42086]

could be californica, depilis or opuntiae, especially if you guys were nearby a stand of cholla or sotol

[ReignofRage]

This queen is nowhere near what C. californica, C. opuntiae, or C. depilis queens look like. Crematogaster californica are much bulkier and jet black; C. opuntiae don't range that far North and differ in the head; C. depilis is more glossy, orangeish, and bulkier. The last image almost makes the head shape and eye size look like C. nocturna, which the locale happens to be smack dab in the middle of C. nocturna range.

 

Here is a picture of C. coarctata. The queens of C. californica and C. coarctata are very similar, just one species is a high-elevation species and the other is lower-elevation.

 

Edited by ReignofRage, July 22 2024 - 6:55 PM.