Species ID skills

[SYUTEO]

I just learnt about a term, "erigatoid". From what I understand, it's a reproductive without wings, a queen born without wings basically. So their like gamergates in a sense?

No, gamergates are mated workers. Ergatoids are male or female reproductives born without wings.

I know, but what I mean is that you wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the rest of the workers easily. From what I know about gamergates is that they look and act exactly as a worker except that they can lay fertile eggs and has mating rights. I don't know much about the erigatoids, but I do know that the single most reliable method we use to recognize a queen is wing scars or the actual wings if their still attached. And erigatoids lak wings from birth and so lak wing scars.

It's true in some species that the ergatoids look identical to the workers but in some species it's much easier to differ for example: Mystrium voeltzkowi, their ergatoid queens are reddish brown compared to the workers which are black and the queens are smaller than the workers. Also ergatoid males exist.

[Polyrhachiskeeper]

Not really, but i caught a black one with spikes in March (last year) and i found my P. rastellata in maybe june? And i found another P. rastellata in the end of July i think but she died. So from my observations, from March to July?
And did you know there are blue ants belonging to the genus Polyrhachis!?

Alright so I guess I'll have to wait for next year. Yes I did, how ever I believe they are only found in the Philippines and are very rare.

Did you know in Asia your can find ants that get nearly 3 cm in length and the queen gets a little over 3 cm. I'm talking about Dinomyrmex gigas

You maybe wont have to wait until next year. I caught another queen ant and its probably a Polyrhachis ant. Her gaster is a bit golden not so much but you can see it, and her thorax is also a bit gold. She's the same size as her workers as i have seen the workers. Only difference is that she has wing scars and bigger thorax. I'll make a new topic and request id and put more info.
And yes, i do know about Dinomyrmex gigas.

And i dont think i could exactly identify the species of Polyrhachis in your area, maybe tell if they are Polyrhachis or not. But SYUTEO is really good in identifying species so ask him if you want the exact species.

[JaydenScheepers]

No, gamergates are mated workers. Ergatoids are male or female reproductives born without wings.

I know, but what I mean is that you wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the rest of the workers easily. From what I know about gamergates is that they look and act exactly as a worker except that they can lay fertile eggs and has mating rights. I don't know much about the erigatoids, but I do know that the single most reliable method we use to recognize a queen is wing scars or the actual wings if their still attached. And erigatoids lak wings from birth and so lak wing scars.

It's true in some species that the ergatoids look identical to the workers but in some species it's much easier to differ for example: Mystrium voeltzkowi, their ergatoid queens are reddish brown compared to the workers which are black and the queens are smaller than the workers. Also ergatoid males exist.

Interesting, never heard of queens being smaller than their workers, well except for super majors. Hmm and wingless males, I'd like to see that.

[JaydenScheepers]

I first learnt the term from doing some brief reading on Ooceraea biroi. Some very nice looking orange ants, from what I can see they don't have any eyes.

[JaydenScheepers]

Not really, but i caught a black one with spikes in March (last year) and i found my P. rastellata in maybe june? And i found another P. rastellata in the end of July i think but she died. So from my observations, from March to July?
And did you know there are blue ants belonging to the genus Polyrhachis!?

Alright so I guess I'll have to wait for next year. Yes I did, how ever I believe they are only found in the Philippines and are very rare.

Did you know in Asia your can find ants that get nearly 3 cm in length and the queen gets a little over 3 cm. I'm talking about Dinomyrmex gigas

You maybe wont have to wait until next year. I caught another queen ant and its probably a Polyrhachis ant. Her gaster is a bit golden not so much but you can see it, and her thorax is also a bit gold. She's the same size as her workers as i have seen the workers. Only difference is that she has wing scars and bigger thorax. I'll make a new topic and request id and put more info.
And yes, i do know about Dinomyrmex gigas.

And i dont think i could exactly identify the species of Polyrhachis in your area, maybe tell if they are Polyrhachis or not. But SYUTEO is really good in identifying species so ask him if you want the exact species.

Congrats on your catch! Man I'd like to be a owner of Polyrhachis, was tempted on buying them but then I would need to drive all the way up to Bangkok witch is like a 9 or 10 hour drive, and I don't think my parents will be up to that.

[SYUTEO]

I know, but what I mean is that you wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the rest of the workers easily. From what I know about gamergates is that they look and act exactly as a worker except that they can lay fertile eggs and has mating rights. I don't know much about the erigatoids, but I do know that the single most reliable method we use to recognize a queen is wing scars or the actual wings if their still attached. And erigatoids lak wings from birth and so lak wing scars.

It's true in some species that the ergatoids look identical to the workers but in some species it's much easier to differ for example: Mystrium voeltzkowi, their ergatoid queens are reddish brown compared to the workers which are black and the queens are smaller than the workers. Also ergatoid males exist.

Interesting, never heard of queens being smaller than their workers, well except for super majors. Hmm and wingless males, I'd like to see that.

Ergatoid males are present on Hypoponera opacior: https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Hypoponera_opacior

[Polyrhachiskeeper]

If you see lots of Polyrhachis ants in your state/province or area, im sure you'll find one. Its happened to me lots of time, so many time it's beginning to get annoying. LOL

[Polyrhachiskeeper]

Alright so I guess I'll have to wait for next year. Yes I did, how ever I believe they are only found in the Philippines and are very rare.

Did you know in Asia your can find ants that get nearly 3 cm in length and the queen gets a little over 3 cm. I'm talking about Dinomyrmex gigas

You maybe wont have to wait until next year. I caught another queen ant and its probably a Polyrhachis ant. Her gaster is a bit golden not so much but you can see it, and her thorax is also a bit gold. She's the same size as her workers as i have seen the workers. Only difference is that she has wing scars and bigger thorax. I'll make a new topic and request id and put more info.
And yes, i do know about Dinomyrmex gigas.

And i dont think i could exactly identify the species of Polyrhachis in your area, maybe tell if they are Polyrhachis or not. But SYUTEO is really good in identifying species so ask him if you want the exact species.

Congrats on your catch! Man I'd like to be a owner of Polyrhachis, was tempted on buying them but then I would need to drive all the way up to Bangkok witch is like a 9 or 10 hour drive, and I don't think my parents will be up to that.

But beware, they are very hard to raise, they are semi-claustral and are picky about food, like really picky. They only have mealworms and chicken on their menu. And btw, my first nanitic died

[JaydenScheepers]

You maybe wont have to wait until next year. I caught another queen ant and its probably a Polyrhachis ant. Her gaster is a bit golden not so much but you can see it, and her thorax is also a bit gold. She's the same size as her workers as i have seen the workers. Only difference is that she has wing scars and bigger thorax. I'll make a new topic and request id and put more info.
And yes, i do know about Dinomyrmex gigas.

And i dont think i could exactly identify the species of Polyrhachis in your area, maybe tell if they are Polyrhachis or not. But SYUTEO is really good in identifying species so ask him if you want the exact species.

Congrats on your catch! Man I'd like to be a owner of Polyrhachis, was tempted on buying them but then I would need to drive all the way up to Bangkok witch is like a 9 or 10 hour drive, and I don't think my parents will be up to that.

But beware, they are very hard to raise, they are semi-claustral and are picky about food, like really picky. They only have mealworms and chicken on their menu. And btw, my first nanitic died

I'm sorry about your nanitic. Luckily I have a mealworm and superworm farm.

[Polyrhachiskeeper]

If AntsCanada had a silver, gold and bronze spiny ant colony, the only thing he'd need was a black spiny ant like Polyrhahis rastellata.