25 replies to this topic

[nurbs]

What I originally sorted as a black C. vicinus in the field looks to be something else altogether after putting her in a test tube.

The common large black Camponotus species here in CA are C. vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. modoc, and C. quercicola. I have found all four of these this season but this does not look like any one of them.

Does not appear to be C. modoc (no dense yellow hairs or alternating matt black stripes on gaster), C. laevigatus (hairs are not white and no C. laevigatus have red hues on their legs. C. laevigatus also much shinier), or C. vicinus (hair density and head to thorax ratio incorrect).

Could this possibly be a "northern" variety of C. quercicola?

** Will post macro shots when they are taken, but have attached a short cell video for now **


1. Location of collection: Near Fish Camp and Wawona CA
2. Date of collection: 5-4-2017
3. Habitat of collection: Mountain forest, pines
4. Length (from head to gaster): About 15mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: All black with transition to red hue on legs
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Short scapes, wide head, almost shiny, nearly hairless, "stocky" build




UPDATE:
Video comparision vs C. modoc, C. vicinus, C. laevigatus, and C. quercicola
Be sure to click HD 1080p on the cog wheel for best resolution.

Edited by nurbs, May 6 2017 - 3:35 PM.

[nurbs]

Once I take some macros, I'll be using this key:

 

http://www.formicult...ates-southwest/

[Batspiderfish]

You could check the antennal scapes. Camponotus quercicola will have no standing hairs. I haven't seen any descriptions which use the color of the legs.

Edited by Batspiderfish, May 6 2017 - 11:56 AM.

[gcsnelling]

The red legs would lead me to C. modoc.

[Batspiderfish]

Ah, she looks pretty shiny in the video, but I missed that she does not appear shiny enough in person.

[nurbs]

The red legs would lead me to C. modoc.

 

I keep wondering about those red legs. I've always recognized C. modoc by their furry yellow alternating matte black gasters. This one seems quite hairless.

Edited by nurbs, May 6 2017 - 1:30 PM.

[nurbs]

Updated OP with video comparing other large common black Camponotus found in the same region. Last one is a C. quercicola found a few weeks ago. 

[nurbs]

Curiously, that C. laevigatus specimen is a tad on the smaller size. They are usually larger.

[dspdrew]

 

The red legs would lead me to C. modoc.

 

I keep wondering about those red legs. I've always recognized C. modoc by their furry yellow alternating matte black gasters. This one seems quite hairless.

 

 

Yeah, to me the gasters of C. modoc look like the gasters of a lot of Formica species. The alternating shiny and dull terga.

 

Curiously, that C. laevigatus specimen is a tad on the smaller size. They are usually larger.

 

I have some pretty small ones.

[nurbs]

 

 

I have some pretty small ones.

 

 

   

[nurbs]

This exactly describes this ant.

 

Taken from http://www.antwiki.o..._et_al_1999.pdf

 

[nurbs]

So tempted to drive back there and look for more.

[Miles]

There's no way this is C. modoc. I've collected these queens in the Northwest and I still haven't gotten a good ID. I'll keep an eye on this hoping you figure it out.

Edited by Miles, May 9 2017 - 6:29 AM.

[nurbs]

Yeah, it sure doesn't look like it. Curious to see what the workers look like. This one unfortunately has not laid any eggs yet.

[SoySauce]

Nurbs, can you come over and look at all the ones I collected and see if I got any?

[nurbs]

If you weren't so far I would! We should head back to Yosemite.

[nurbs]

This queen has not laid a single egg. Wondering if she is infertile or maybe even parasitic.

 

I plan on heading back to the Eastern Sierras when it warms up later this month and possibly find more of her (and maybe grab a few more Modocs and Vicinus and anything else interesting).

 

If I do find more, I can sacrifice this one and take some super closeup macro shots of her head and stack the focus via photoshop.

[nurbs]

This is slowly turning into a journal rather than an ID thread, but since she wasn't laying any eggs, and thinking she could possibly be parasitic considering the size of her gaster, I gave her some brood from a year old C. modoc colony (1 pupae, 2 larvae, 1 egg).

 

She happily and very excitedly accepted them.

 

[nurbs]

She died sometime in June. Didn't lay any eggs. If she did, she ate them.

 

Haven't had time to go back and find more, but plan on looking for them next season.

 

Preserved the specimen in alchohol.

 

[T.C.]

Do you leave them in the alcohol, or is there a point where you take them out?