9 replies to this topic

[Ants_Texas]

I've recieved a small twig ant colony from Spamdy. He took this picture of what we thought is the queen. We think the gray spots on the thorax are wing scars, but we aren't sure. Can we get more opinions? 

 

 

 Identifying Pseudomyrmex gracilis queens is frustrating.

[Connectimyrmex]

Try to get a top picture. From my 2 years of experience with P. gracilis mexicanus, I'm 90% sure that she's a worker, because P. gracilis queens have a large black "plate" on top of their thorax. She also doesn't have obvious wing scars. P. gracilis queens have very obvious wing scars, and are a tiny bit larger than their workers.

Edited by Connectimyrmex, January 1 2018 - 5:57 PM.

[Ants_Texas]

Well then I'm almost sure this colony is queenless. However, I never noticed that the queens have the top of their thorax black. That's very helpful.

[Connectimyrmex]

Also, P. gracilis queen thoraxes are domed like Camponotus, and worker thoraxes are double humped like Formica.

 

Does your local subspecies have a different thorax coloration? My old queens always had that little black spot (very tiny in workers).

Edited by Connectimyrmex, January 1 2018 - 6:04 PM.

[Ants_Texas]

Most likely. My local Pseudomyrmex have a half black, half orange thorax. The only way I've been able to tell queens apart is looking very closely at the string of exoskeleton connecting the thorax and gaster. 

[MegaMyrmex]

Gaster seems a bit small but most likely no.

[Connectimyrmex]

Gaster seems a bit small but most likely no.

I already stated that she's a worker.

[gcsnelling]

Most likely. My local Pseudomyrmex have a half black, half orange thorax. The only way I've been able to tell queens apart is looking very closely at the string of exoskeleton connecting the thorax and gaster. 

 

That string between the gaster and "thorax" is petiole and post petiole.

[AntHUB]

Worker, I’m 100% certain from my experience with Pseudomyrmex and my colony

[Connectimyrmex]

Yes, as I stated above, definitely a worker.