First Queen! Plz help identify

[foopaints]

Hi hi! I've been lurking until now but just caught my first queen today!
I have not been successful in figuring out what species I have. Even just a general idea would help - I think it is either Camponotus or Messor...? Would care for these differ? I saw in my "research" earlier that Camponotus queens are semiclaustral? Is this true? I really gotta rush for a better setup if so, as I have her in a.... sort of test tube... (It's actually a mini puzzle tube I washed out clean... )

I live in Shanghai and unfortunately havent been able to find ANY information on local ant species, which really hasn't helped narrow it down.

Sorry for the not so great photos, I will try to get some better photos (also profile, hopefully) tomorrow, but lighting wasnt the best (and I was super nervous! lol). Please do let me know any specific shots that would help with ID.

She is about 13~15mm long, completely black and beautifully smooth and shiny!




Thank you so much in advance!!

[drawpositive]

I am unable to open your photos (not that I could help you with an ant ID in Shanghai), but for others with more knowledge on the subject, use this tutorial to upload photos that are viewable by others:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Mu4Rw3s8w


The other thing you can do is upload the images to imgur.com Just click the "New Post" button at the top of the screen (you don't even need to login to the site). Upload your photos and then copy and past the "BBCode" for the uploaded image here on the AntsCanada Forum. That has worked for me.

[foopaints]

I am unable to open your photos (not that I could help you with an ant ID in Shanghai), but for others with more knowledge on the subject, use this tutorial to upload photos that are viewable by others:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Mu4Rw3s8w


The other thing you can do is upload the images to imgur.com Just click the "New Post" button at the top of the screen (you don't even need to login to the site). Upload your photos and then copy and past the "BBCode" for the uploaded image here on the AntsCanada Forum. That has worked for me.

Thank you so much! Definitely total noob all around!
As for Shanghai specific knowledge: I don't expect to get this at all. I have been looking for resources on this over the past 2 weeks with no success. None of the amazing species resources online have any information at all on China in general, let alone Shanghai specifically. I have resigned myself to probably only every getting as far as genus and that would be ok I think....

I will also have to start thinking about whether or not they would hybernate but it's early in the year, so one mystery at a time! lol

Ok, so second try for the photos:

[Antnerd]

How big is she in mm?

[foopaints]

How big is she in mm?

~13-15mm

[AntLuvForever]

She looks like a carpenter ant species.

[Antnerd]

Yeah I would say carpenter ant too but, there is a chance it could be Formica.
If you can get me a good pic of the mandibles then I can help!

[AM1C39]

Your queen is probably from the genus camponotus. Camponotus are usually fullyclaustral. You can decide witch species looks the most like your queen. Hear is a list of native ants from Shanghai, China:

• Acropyga sauteri
  Aphaenogaster geei
  Brachyponera chinensis
  Brachyponera luteipes
  Camponotus albosparsus
  Camponotus friedae
  Camponotus helvus
  Camponotus japonicus
  Camponotus keihitoi
  Camponotus lighti
  Camponotus quadrinotatus
  Camponotus vitiosus
  Crematogaster nawai
  Crematogaster osakensis
  Crematogaster subnuda nigrosubnuda
  Crematogaster zoceensis
  Ectomomyrmex astutus
  Ectomomyrmex javanus
  Formica clara sinae
  Formica japonica
  Iridomyrmex anceps
  Liometopum sinense
  Messor aciculatus
  Messor aciculatus risianus
  Monomorium chinense
  Monomorium intrudens
  Monomorium intrudens pieli
  Nylanderia flavipes
  Nylanderia formosae
  Nylanderia picta
  Nylanderia pieli
  Ochetellus glaber
  Odontomachus monticola
  Paraparatrechina sauteri
  Paratopula ceylonica
  Pheidole nodus
  Pheidole pieli
  Pheidole zoceana
  Polyrhachis dives
  Polyrhachis lamellidens
  Polyrhachis moesta
  Pristomyrmex punctatus
  Solenopsis soochowensis
  Solenopsis soochowensis pieli
  Strumigenys lewisi
  Tapinoma sinense
  Tetramorium annectens
  Tetramorium tsushimae

[foopaints]

Your queen is probably from the genus camponotus. Camponotus are usually fullyclaustral. You can decide witch species looks the most like your queen. Hear is a list of native ants from Shanghai, China:

• Acropyga sauteri
  Aphaenogaster geei
  Brachyponera chinensis
  Brachyponera luteipes
  Camponotus albosparsus
  Camponotus friedae
  Camponotus helvus
  Camponotus japonicus
  Camponotus keihitoi
  Camponotus lighti
  Camponotus quadrinotatus
  Camponotus vitiosus
  Crematogaster nawai
  Crematogaster osakensis
  Crematogaster subnuda nigrosubnuda
  Crematogaster zoceensis
  Ectomomyrmex astutus
  Ectomomyrmex javanus
  Formica clara sinae
  Formica japonica
  Iridomyrmex anceps
  Liometopum sinense
  Messor aciculatus
  Messor aciculatus risianus
  Monomorium chinense
  Monomorium intrudens
  Monomorium intrudens pieli
  Nylanderia flavipes
  Nylanderia formosae
  Nylanderia picta
  Nylanderia pieli
  Ochetellus glaber
  Odontomachus monticola
  Paraparatrechina sauteri
  Paratopula ceylonica
  Pheidole nodus
  Pheidole pieli
  Pheidole zoceana
  Polyrhachis dives
  Polyrhachis lamellidens
  Polyrhachis moesta
  Pristomyrmex punctatus
  Solenopsis soochowensis
  Solenopsis soochowensis pieli
  Strumigenys lewisi
  Tapinoma sinense
  Tetramorium annectens
  Tetramorium tsushimae

Wow ok! Yes I was leaning towards Camponotus as well! Thanks so much!
May I ask where you got this list? I couldn't find any such information in my (clearly amateurish) research! This is amazing!!

[AM1C39]

I always use antmaps.org when I need to know what ants live where. Good luck!