antsczech's Favorites

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

Definitely fooled me. I thought it was an ant before zooming in to my photos. Upon realizing, I spent like half an hour chasing it up and down the railing of a bridge to get a face shot. This spider would not stay still at all.

Funny side note: even iNat's computer vision algorithm misidentified it as a Neoponera ant

Menchetti, M., Schifani, E., Alicata, A., Cardador, L., Sbrega, E., Toro-Delgado, E., & Vila, R. (2023). The invasive ant Solenopsis invicta is established in Europe. Current Biology, 33(17), PR896-R897. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.036

Camponotus cf. pressipes errans. The morphology of queens in the photographs has been carefully examined. The validity of this suggested taxon is to be questioned when working on a species revision for the subgenus Myrmotarsus. I will be conducting fieldwork research on the subject in a few years.

The queens are in possession and photographed by David K., supplied by P. Vichanukroh from Thailand.

The queens were initially collected by K. Rodnamsing near Cheow Lan Lake, Surat Thani, Thailand, by the end of May 2023, believed to be an evening nuptial flight. I will update this post with further data when available.

Precise location of collection was asked to not be revealed. With current knowledge about this species, it is believed that the taxon suggested is justified. These should be the first potentially verifiable photographs of C. pressipes errans since Forel described it in 1913. This would also mean that this species has a range much wider than has been previously documented, extending up to at least southern Thailand.

These photographs are posted with permission of the authors. The names of people involved are mentioned by their request.

Photographs of other specimens, including a winged gyne, of this same species will be posted seperately.