Des reines. Fourmis capturées et léguées à Rumsaïs Blatrix. Specimen seen under the stereomicroscope, allowing identification to species
Formica paralugubris Seifert, 1996
[Formicidae]
Monte Alpe, Romagnese (Lombardia), 1070m
Here's a take:
This species was the most common Zealleyella in the Table mountains and in Montagu. Similar to custodiens but smaller (similar to steingroeveri), legs shorter, less constricted mesosoma, all especially in the largest workers. Because of the silky silver pubescens this species was originally considered a subtaxon of custodiens (see Arnold, 1922). Pubescens are distinctly less than custodiens, however hard to separate in most pictures. Majority of custodiens, rufescens, and steingroeveri observations seem to be this species especially in the western cape area. Since Anoplolepis is not the best devised taxon, there still are taxa like Anoplolepis steingroeveri parsonsi which seems inseparable from fallax, but since fallax stands valid and was described before that subspecies I believe its enough to label this fallax for now
Hundreds of individuals feeding on ivy flowers
2 individuals: photos 1+2 and photos 3-5
Equipment: LEICA M205-A stereoscopic microscope and software
LASX image stacking
Funded by project: EQC2018-004655-P
Author: Pedro J. Sandoval (University of Granada, Spain)
I was doubting a bit about the species because of the angled propodeum. But according to the density of hairs on the abdomen and habitat it does not seem to be F. gagatoides
Posterior margin of head with numerous standing setae. nCH>4
(not uralensis, not gagates/fusca/lemani)
nPe: 1
nHFfl: 7 (on left and right leg)
petiole narrower
length: 9 mm
Other ant colony nearby:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68113939
differs from the more common B. chinensis by the relatively broader petiole but this seems to be hard to recognize on live specimens due to larger size of chinensis
Yeah, this one.
Setae well paired and organized.
Propodeum lacking setae.
Metanotal groove complete but very shallow.
6 teeth, mandibles striated? not sure.
Legs and antennae elongate and lack standing hairs.
Since other similar species like Nylanderia otome or Nylanderia yambaru are dumped under Nylanderia, I'm still flagging it under Nylanderia. For now....
2.5 mm, in a branch about 3 m above ground inside a tropical greenhouse in ZOO Lešná.
The Yucatan greenhouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx41VIEzSX0
in some places it is open and connected to the outside
A colony of ants busy moving their pupae on the trunk of a camphor tree
found in greenhouse, ergatoid male Technomyrmex cf. vitiensis
About 25 mm long. Matthew, I have emailed you re these.
When touched, this ant produced a kind of foam.
adrenaline booster
Same nest as:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177784305
Keys to C. cursor, erect hairs on scape and gaster nearly absent compared to C. piliscapa.
piliscapa: https://www.antweb.org/bigPicture.do?name=casent0911106&shot=h&number=1
cursor from s. France: https://www.antweb.org/bigPicture.do?name=casent0106260&shot=h&number=1
Seems to be the known disjunct population of C.cursor found northwest of Madrid, separated from the France population. Mitochondrial analysis indicates it may be a separate species:
https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3013514/v1_covered_49badf57-856b-4056-9167-b5a9cf51e460.pdf?c=1686032146
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/030519789090036F
cool loking large one
on wooden railings
Rainha, macho e operária.
Queen, male, and worker.
Fotografados em uma pesquisa de campo. Soltos onde foram encontrados.
Photographed in a biology field research. Released back to the nature.
So, this is a polyergus bilateral gynandromorph! ½ worker caste (red), ½ alate (black). The mandibles, eyes, single wing, and antennae are the more obvious caste traits reflected in each half of this individual. Found them shortly after leaving the colony possibly (I found one a few feet away).
See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124878696
& https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124879042
Found by: Levente Tóth, individuals were collected from an indoor nuptial flight.
There was a strange, amorph one-eyed worker with 18 normal one.
CL/CW: 0,87303315
For some reason, this F. yessensis also rushed out the F. sanguinea colony. Very intrigued what her fate would have been