18 replies to this topic

[skocko76]

I got some queens at a flight that occurred yesterday. I did not have more tubes on me, and by the time I got back with some more, it was too dark to spot these tiny queens.

They are very hard to catch, have an instinct to "crawl under" instead of "climb over", making it hard to convince the queen to climb the edge of a test tube.

They also "play dead" and like to run under a piece of leaf or twig and suddenly stand still when making their getaway.

Anyway, they are around 6mm long, blackish with honey colored gaster - striped.

I suspect they are Solenopsis fugax. Maybe Pheidole pallidula?

I will try to get some better photos, the batch of plastic tubes I got a hold of is horrible.

 

1. Location of collection: Split, Craotia, forested recreational zone near sea

2. Date of collection: 10th June 2018. 20:00 h
3. Habitat of collection: pedestrian road
4. Length : 6mm
5. Coloration, hue, pattern and texture: blackish with honey colored gaster
6. Distinguishing characteristics : honey-black striped gaster
7. Anything else distinctive: hard to get into a test tube.. tends to "crawl under" instead of climb
8. Nest description : n/a.
9 . Post the clearest pictures possible: 

 

Edited by skocko76, June 11 2018 - 11:25 AM.

[Barristan]

Hi,

 

it can't be Solenopsis fugax since they don't have thorns at the thorax. Maybe some Tetramorium species, Thorax looks not as round shaped from top as the Pheidole pallidula I kept. Also color looks different (but there are color variations) and Pheidole pallidula also don't have thorns at the thorax.

Edited by Barristan, June 11 2018 - 12:46 PM.

[Aaron567]

A Tetramorium species.

[skocko76]

So two of the queens died, evidently by a fungus.

This gave me the opportunity to take some better photos.

Can you help me narrow down the species?

It doesn't look like Tetramorium caespitum to me - too light of a color.

 

[Dotdispenser]

I have acquired some of these. I’m dumbfounded as to what species they are. I believe they’re either Tetramorium immigrans (but they’re bigger than my other Tetramorium queens) or some Pheidole species.

Gonna wait until workers emerge to figure out what species this is.

[Batspiderfish]

The photographs are probably of sufficient magnification, but better lighting and/or a different background wouldn't hurt.

[skocko76]

Hm.. Only Pheidole pallidula and Pheidole balcanica are documented in Croatia.
Also, according to AntWeb, looks like P. pallidula does have thorax spines after all: https://www.antweb.o...shot=p&number=1

[skocko76]

The photographs are probably of sufficient magnification, but better lighting and/or a different background wouldn't hurt.

I just got an external flash, so future photos should have better lightning. Also, I noticed that if the backgroind is light, it darkens the subject. Hence the dark background. I'll experiment a bit next time.

[Batspiderfish]

 

The photographs are probably of sufficient magnification, but better lighting and/or a different background wouldn't hurt.

I just got an external flash, so future photos should have better lightning. Also, I noticed that if the backgroind is light, it darkens the subject. Hence the dark background. I'll experiment a bit next time.

 

Excellent! That should help. Light and dark backgrounds are useful in different ways, but I think brown may have been a poor choice in this case.

Edited by Batspiderfish, June 15 2018 - 4:54 PM.

[Barristan]

Hm.. Only Pheidole pallidula and Pheidole balcanica are documented in Croatia.
Also, according to AntWeb, looks like P. pallidula does have thorax spines after all: https://www.antweb.o...shot=p&number=1

 
Strange, all pictures I see in the web don't show spines.
 
AntCenter shop:


 
Flickr:
Pheidole pallidula queen by Hugo Darras, on Flickr

On the pictures you can also see the color variations.

On this picture I see tiny spines however:



Maybe they also sometimes have them?

Unfortunately your queen died. If they colony produced major-workers we would have known for sure.

EDIT: If you soom in closely on the antcenter picture you also see tiny spines.

Edited by Barristan, June 15 2018 - 9:47 PM.

[GeorgeK]

I found abudance of this queens, and they do in fact look like larger sized s. fugax queens. At first, i thought they are tetra queens, but i also noticed some slight, and some major color differences between some of the queens. There are almost full black queens, there are those with color of s. fugax, etc... And they even flew also around 10th of June, but in Serbia. I will try to get good pics of variety of what seems like same queens as the ones posted here when i come home a bit later...

 

EDIT: Seems that sometimes i`m just a idiot in the morning. The queens i have are definitely tetras, they do resemble phedioles, but only difference i can spot is that phedioles actually have body hair, which tetras, don't. Spines are present tho

Edited by GeorgeK, June 16 2018 - 12:52 AM.

[skocko76]

The photographs are probably of sufficient magnification, but better lighting and/or a different background wouldn't hurt.

I just got an external flash, so future photos should have better lightning. Also, I noticed that if the backgroind is light, it darkens the subject. Hence the dark background. I'll experiment a bit next time.

Excellent! That should help. Light and dark backgrounds are useful in different ways, but I think brown may have been a poor choice in this case.

Haha! Point taken

[skocko76]

I found abudance of this queens, and they do in fact look like larger sized s. fugax queens. At first, i thought they are tetra queens, but i also noticed some slight, and some major color differences between some of the queens. There are almost full black queens, there are those with color of s. fugax, etc... And they even flew also around 10th of June, but in Serbia. I will try to get good pics of variety of what seems like same queens as the ones posted here when i come home a bit later...

EDIT: Seems that sometimes i`m just a idiot in the morning. The queens i have are definitely tetras, they do resemble phedioles, but only difference i can spot is that phedioles actually have body hair, which tetras, don't. Spines are present tho

These of mine are all the same color -except- one which is darker and a bit bigger. I don't think they're the same species, even though they are pretty similar. Unfortunately, I squished her a bit while capturing and she doesn't act healthy and normal So I haven't made any photos.

Edited by skocko76, June 16 2018 - 4:04 AM.

[AntsBC]

Head and thorax gives it away, it is a tetramorium species. 

Edited by AntsBC, June 17 2018 - 11:56 AM.

[skocko76]

On 20 JUN 2018 (two days ago) was the third flight of the same species I noticed this Summer.

Here are some more photos. Maybe someone will recognize the exact species of this Tetra.

 

 

Edited by skocko76, June 22 2018 - 6:18 AM.

[skocko76]

The nanites finally came! They are approximately 2mm long.

Here are some photos. 

Please help to nail it down! 

 

Edited by skocko76, July 10 2018 - 12:27 PM.

[AntsBC]

My best guesses going off what I have found online would be either Tetramorium moravicum, Tetramorium semilaeve, or Tetramorium impurum. I would do some research on those species if I were you and hopefully you can find the exact species.

 

Personally I am leaning towards Tetramorium semilaeve.

Edited by AntsBC, July 13 2018 - 1:14 PM.

[skocko76]

I'm leaning towards Tetramorium semilaeve too!
I should be receiving a microscope in the mail any day now. I'll be able to take a look at features in detail.

[AntsBC]

Actually judging from what I have found online I don't even think you need to do that. It is definitely Tetramorium semilaeve. You can tell by the coloration and the distinct gaster markings.

Here's some photos of other Tetramorium semilaeve to clarify it: