14 replies to this topic

[YsTheAnt]

1. Location (on a map) of collection: Cupertino, CA
2. Date of collection: 3/28/18
3. Habitat of collection: Found on live oak tree
4. Length (from head to gaster): Around 13mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Shiny Black, visual gaster segmentation, purplish red legs. Quite hairy on the gaster and head.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Slightly hairy gaster and head
7. Distinguishing behavior: Found on a live oak near a P. Imparis trail
8. Nest description:
9. Nuptial flight time and date: The queens on oak trees were found at around 9PM, but I caught one in my pool in the afternoon, so presumably earlier that day.





Edit: More pics! Better view of hairs and color. So many pics that I thought I'd put up a link instead.
https://imgur.com/gallery/G45pi

Edited by YsTheAnt, March 29 2018 - 10:43 AM.

[LC3]

Like you pointed out on Chat this looks like Nurb's Camponotus. 

http://www.formicult...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

From that ID thread:

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

Edited by LC3, March 28 2018 - 9:23 PM.

[nurbs]

Educated guess: Camponotus vicinus

 

EDIT: Doesn't look like the undescribed C. modoc because of head shape. It is too narrow, indicative of C. vicinus.

Edited by nurbs, March 28 2018 - 10:23 PM.

[dspdrew]

The white background is making a good silhouette. Can you add color to your information?

[YsTheAnt]

Educated guess: Camponotus vicinus

EDIT: Doesn't look like the undescribed C. modoc because of head shape. It is too narrow, indicative of C. vicinus.

I thought that too, but what threw me way off was that I found both of them on live oak. That, and also the fact that they have reddish purple legs, which I never have seen on C. Vicinus here. Also, I have yet to see the all black variety, which confuses me even more.

Edited by YsTheAnt, March 29 2018 - 6:34 AM.

[YsTheAnt]

The white background is making a good silhouette. Can you add color to your information?

Done!

[YsTheAnt]

Like you pointed out on Chat this looks like Nurb's Camponotus.
http://www.formicult...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

From that ID thread:
http://www.antwiki.o..._et_al_1999.pdf

Yeah it looked like it at first glance, but it's a bit on the smaller side, 1-2mm shorter. Also, it has alot more hair on it.

[nurbs]

 

Educated guess: Camponotus vicinus

EDIT: Doesn't look like the undescribed C. modoc because of head shape. It is too narrow, indicative of C. vicinus.

I thought that too, but what threw me way off was that I found both of them on live oak. That, and also the fact that they have reddish purple legs, which I never have seen on C. Vicinus here. Also, I have yet to see the all black variety, which confuses me even more.

 

 

Embedded additional shots.

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like a black C. vicinus.

 

Finding it on Oak doesn't mean anything. You generally find C. quercicola on Oak, but you can also find all kinds of Camponotus crawling on them as well. Was it just this one, or were there tons of them on Oak?

 

Tint of red on legs are also common with black variety C. vicinus.

 

It could be C. quercicola, but her gaster is way too hairy, she's on the smaller side, and her head shape just says C. vicinus. Get closer clearer shots of the base of scapes. 

 

What it is not:

C. laevigatus (hairs are white on C. laevigatus, not yellow, this one looks yellow. head is also as wide as it is long, maybe wider)

C. modoc (no alternating matte/shiny on gaster, a tad small, head generally much wider than thorax)

[YsTheAnt]

Isn’t it too small for vicinus? I caught 2 on live oak trees. I agree with them not being quercicola (too small), and Modoc or laevigatus, they aren’t found this low elevation.

Edit: On second thought, my queens look a whole lot like the queens that Suberted’s Camponotus vicinus had.

Edited by YsTheAnt, March 29 2018 - 11:10 AM.

[nurbs]

Isn’t it too small for vicinus? I caught 2 on live oak trees. I agree with them not being quercicola (too small), and Modoc or laevigatus, they aren’t found this low elevation.

 

No. Vicinus queens come in all sizes, seen some as small as 11mm all the way to 16m. Not saying that it might not be something else, like C. anthrax, but again, the head gives it away. You need a closeup headshot with scapes to get a 100% ID, but I'm nearly certain this is C. vicinus.

 

I have a 11mm red and a 12mm black C. vicinus.

Edited by nurbs, March 29 2018 - 11:34 AM.

[YsTheAnt]

Ok, I think that matches it. Thanks for all the help!

[nurbs]

Dug up some old pics.

 

See the base of the scapes? Flattened like blades. That is Vicinus.

 

 

 

Guess which is which? 

 

 

 

Red variety:

 

 

 

[YsTheAnt]

1st one is either quercicola or laevigatus, maybe vicinus but probably not, too small of a head. Second is C. Modoc, the gaster gives it away. Third is a C. Vicinus, head is about the same width as the thorax

Yeah, they are quite flat. I noticed that C. Semitestaceus had similar scapes, any good way to tell them apart? Here's what I was looking at, the scapes look almost like C. Vicinus: https://www.antweb.o...shot=h&number=1

Edited by YsTheAnt, April 4 2018 - 7:08 PM.

[nurbs]

Correct! GJ

 

Yes, first one is Laevigatus. Note the wide head.

 

1st one is either quercicola or laevigatus, maybe vicinus but probably not, too small of a head. Second is C. Modoc, the gaster gives it away. Third is a C. Vicinus, head is about the same width as the thorax

Yeah, they are quite flat. I noticed that C. Semitestaceus had similar scapes, any good way to tell them apart? Here's what I was looking at, the scapes look almost like C. Vicinus: https://www.antweb.o...shot=h&number=1

[YsTheAnt]

Yay!! Thanks for all the help! I found quercicola lives in my local anting grounds, I already got five, but more the merrier, and I can finally tell them apart haha.

I think wider head is indicative of a wood nesting species, since they need more head power to tunnel.