54 replies to this topic

[nurbs]

EDIT: 6-24-2020 Looks like they may have changed this to Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.antwiki....Colobopsis_yogi

 

 

 

Pretty sure this is Camponotus yogi, but want to log this find as well as get confirmation from others.

 

1. Location: Chaney Trail, Altadena CA

2. Date: 1-28-2018

3. Habitat: Canyon riparian foothills, found crawling on an Oak tree

4. Length: 11mm

5. Coloration: Dark brown to black body, lighter yellow coloring on legs, similar to C. clarithorax

6. Distinguishing characteristics: A face only a mother could love, pitted, looks like it has been run over by tire tracks or doused with acid. Also has a dented gaster

 

It's been an unusually warm Winter here in Los Angeles. Decided to check the local foothills at Chaney trail to see what may have flown. Got there around 7:20, but they closed the gates at 8pm, so didn't stay long.

 

Found her the first ten minutes of getting out of the truck, which was surprising. Didn't expect to find anything, really. Initially thought it C. clarithorax. Found tons of C. clarithorax in the very same spot last year, so didn't think much of it.

 

When I got home, took a closer look with the macro and to my surprise it looks to be Camponotus yogi.

 

My initial thought was maybe last seasons C. clarithorax were also C. yogi. C. clarithorax are common, and just assumed that's what they were. I quickly took out last year's C. clarithorax and did a quick macro video and ID, and confirmed they were all C. clarithorax.

 

This was a cool find. This species is apparently rare, with only a three specimens on Antweb. There's not a whole lot of information about them. Drew told me he found one in September a few years back, so it's odd as to why this one is out so early. I am going back to Chaney tonight to look for more.

 

Here's a paper on them by Gordon's dad:

http://www.antwiki.o...elling_1966.pdf

 

 

Edited by nurbs, July 2 2020 - 10:53 AM.

[KBant]

yeah! this winter has been warm! not complaining, its amazing, and hopefully my LCM tubes come in asap so i can go hunting.

[gcsnelling]

Can you post some additional shots of the yogi?

[dspdrew]

Now we both have found a yogi. I wonder why it was out this time of the year.

[YsTheAnt]

Yeah, weird that it's out so early, but nice find! I found a tiny queen, only about two or three mm in December this year as well, but it died a day later.

[nurbs]

Can you post some additional shots of the yogi?

 

Of course. Just ordered a 25x macro clipon from Amazon ($20!) which will allow closer, clearer shots without using digital zoom. Currently using a 12.5x macro which isn't good enough for smaller ants or headshots. Comes in on Thursday.

 

Now we both have found a yogi. I wonder why it was out this time of the year.

 

Found a few more yesterday night. 

[gcsnelling]

It is an interesting find, I look forward to seeing additional images.

[VoidElecent]

Really nice footage of a very interesting ant. Looking forward to updates.

[AntHUB]

Lots of camponotus look super familiar if you ask me

[gcsnelling]

The similarity you mention is definitely an issue with this totally confusing genus.

[nurbs]

Can you post some additional shots of the yogi?

 

Yup. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

[gcsnelling]

Pretty little gal, if she should happen to expire please consider preserving her and donating her to LACM or some other good museum. Although I suspect this species is far more common than currently known additional specimens with good data are valuable.

[nurbs]

Pretty little gal, if she should happen to expire please consider preserving her and donating her to LACM or some other good museum. Although I suspect this species is far more common than currently known additional specimens with good data are valuable.

 

Absolutely Gordon. Hoping she does well (that dented gaster is hard to look at), but if she doesn't make it, her body will go to a good cause.

[gcsnelling]

Excellent, also if you are familiar with Inaturalist, this might make a good record for that site. You can post the image with appropriate data to that site. Although captive records are slightly frowned upon this one is worth it.

[nurbs]

Excellent, also if you are familiar with Inaturalist, this might make a good record for that site. You can post the image with appropriate data to that site. Although captive records are slightly frowned upon this one is worth it.

 

Done!

 

https://www.inatural...vations/9749246

 

That's my first observation. Check for mistakes or if it requires editing. Put a checkmark in "captive" - hope they do not frown on me. 

[gcsnelling]

Cool, thanks.

[Ants_Texas]

So, I'm assuming you'll have to get some pic-a-nic baskets for this one?

[nurbs]

Awww yissss. Finally came in. Been waiting for this since last week. Going to do some heavily stacked hi rez closeup headshots of Mrs. Yogi. Or at least try to. Hard to do when she's moving.

 

We have a 100mm Canon macro attached via adapter to a 42mp Sony A7rII with not one but two extension tubes as well as a 10x macro filter thread. DOF will be super shallow, even at f8, so going to stack tons and tons of shots together to get one thick wall of focus. Total Frankenstein setup. Let's see if it works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[StopSpazzing]

Nice @nurbs! Looking forward to the images. Btw, do you think if I went down there I could find some also? Or do you think they are done for the time being?

[LC3]

Just noticed this species looks like a mix between Camponotus and Colobopsis, with the slightly flattened face with little pores on them. Do the major workers also have the same characteristics as the queen? For all I know Colobopsis evolved from the larger Camponotus but that's about it. Any reason to why that is, more specifically convergent evolution or does C. yogi represents a part of the lineage that led to Colobopsis?