Ant species name

[Mongo319]

How do they go about naming the ants say I go out in my back yard tomorrow and find an ant that has never been discovered how would they name it

[Batspiderfish]

I don't think any of us here are actual myrmecologists, but the genus (i.e. Lasius) would be determined by its relatedness to other ants. The species name would be translated to Greek or Latin and by whoever proves that it is a unique species, describes it, and publishes the findings.

For example: Camponotus (Greek; bent-back) novaeboracensis (Latin; New York)

[AntsDakota]

How do they go about naming the ants say I go out in my back yard tomorrow and find an ant that has never been discovered how would they name it

Pogonomyrmex was named because of it's beard like structure. Myrmex means ant, so Pogono must mean beard.

[AntsDakota]

I don't think any of us here are actual myrmecologists, but the genus (i.e. Lasius) would be determined by its relatedness to other ants. The species name would be translated to Greek or Latin and by whoever proves that it is a unique species, describes it, and publishes the findings.

For example: Camponotus (Greek; bent-back) novaeboracensis (Latin; New York)

So Brachyponera, Hypoponera, Mesoponera, and Psuedoponera are Ponera's closest relatives?

[Batspiderfish]

I don't think any of us here are actual myrmecologists, but the genus (i.e. Lasius) would be determined by its relatedness to other ants. The species name would be translated to Greek or Latin and by whoever proves that it is a unique species, describes it, and publishes the findings.

For example: Camponotus (Greek; bent-back) novaeboracensis (Latin; New York)

So Brachyponera, Hypoponera, Mesoponera, and Psuedoponera are Ponera's closest relatives?

No. I wrote that almost two years ago, but I believe I meant that in the context of a species' name (Genus species), the genus is that of its closest relative and the species is whatever the discoverer names it. You could theoretically discover a new genus, but before that could be determined, you would probably put it with whatever genus it most closely resembled.

In the early days, all ants were grouped together into the genus Formica, and it's not until revisions are made that other genera may differentiate further. Taxonomy is a constant work-in-progress, since there is still so much more to discover about life and that life is evolving as we study it.

[AntsDakota]

I don't think any of us here are actual myrmecologists, but the genus (i.e. Lasius) would be determined by its relatedness to other ants. The species name would be translated to Greek or Latin and by whoever proves that it is a unique species, describes it, and publishes the findings.

For example: Camponotus (Greek; bent-back) novaeboracensis (Latin; New York)

So Brachyponera, Hypoponera, Mesoponera, and Psuedoponera are Ponera's closest relatives?

No. I wrote that almost two years ago, but I believe I meant that in the context of a species' name (Genus species), the genus is that of its closest relative and the species is whatever the discoverer names it. You could theoretically discover a new genus, but before that could be determined, you would probably put it with whatever genus it most closely resembled.

In the early days, all ants were grouped together into the genus Formica, and it's not until revisions are made that other genera may differentiate further. Taxonomy is a constant work-in-progress, since there is still so much more to discover about life and that life is evolving as we study it.

That's funny to think about. Formica neoniger; Formica invicta; Formica rubra; Formica clavita; Formica pennsylvanicus; Formica gracilipes; Formica longicornis; Formica diversa; Formica barbatus; Formica versicolor; Formica mimicus.

[AntsDakota]

Yet most all species with -ponera have long skinny abdomens, like Ponera.

[Batspiderfish]

Yet most all species with -ponera have long skinny abdomens, like Ponera.

RIght! Scientists are infamously bad at coming up with names, so I imagine that as long as something looked to them like Ponera, they could just tag that with a prefix and call it a genus.