23 replies to this topic

[gcsnelling]

 

 

Looks somewhat like Aphaenogaster

Far from that.

I still think so I’m limited to Texan ants so that’s the closest

 

 

Not even close to Aphaenogaster, this is a Formica.

[Antsy]

Looks somewhat like Aphaenogaster

Far from that.

I still think so I’m limited to Texan ants so that’s the closest

 
Not even close to Aphaenogaster, this is a Formica.

Ik I told you I just somewhat resembles it to my eyes

[Cameron C. Thomas]

 

 

 

 

Looks somewhat like Aphaenogaster

Far from that.

I still think so I’m limited to Texan ants so that’s the closest

 
Not even close to Aphaenogaster, this is a Formica.

Ik I told you I just somewhat resembles it to my eyes

 

 

The genera Aphaenogaster and Formica are in separate subfamilies--Myrmicinae and Formicinae, respectively--and separated by a great deal of evolutionary time. As such, their morphology has distinct and easily discernible differences. The following image is from Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences (link at the bottom) and may be helpful to you for distinguishing between these two subfamilies in the future.

 

 

Species in the Formicinae, or formicines, have a single petiole between the mesosoma and gaster as seen in the top part of the image. In the Myrmicinae, commonly referred to as myrmicines, the third abdominal segment, usually the first segment of the gaster, is modified into a post-petiole as seen in the bottom part of the image.

 

If you look at a picture of an Aphaenogaster ant, you'll see the petiole and post-petiole clearly. In the images posted by T.C. here, you'll see just a single petiole.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Link to the ASU page I mentioned: http://askabiologist...ore/ant-anatomy

Edited by Cameron C. Thomas, December 1 2017 - 10:21 PM.

[Hunter]

o [censored] he's braking out the faces/pics