Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri
Johnson, Overson & Moreau, 2013
Hoelldobler's Harvester Ant
Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri is a seed-harvesting described in 2013 from the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America. It was previously confused with P. magnacanthus but differs in having normally sized , cephalic rugae that converge to the eyes near the vertex, with seven teeth, and moderately to strongly granulate interrugal spaces on pronotal sides. Molecular phylogenetic analysis supports its close relationship with P. magnacanthus and P. mohavensis within the P. californicus species group.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri: /ˌpoʊɡənoʊˈmɜrmɛks hɛldˈdoʊbləri/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Distinguished from other Pogonomyrmex californicus group by: not unusually large (unlike P. magnacanthus); cephalic rugae converging to eyes near vertex rather than forming circumocular ; with seven teeth; and interrugal spaces on pronotal sides moderately to strongly granulate and dull to weakly shining. Differs from P. mohavensis in having seven mandibular teeth versus six, and granulate rather than smooth pronotal interrugal spaces.
Habitat
Mohave Desert and Sonoran Desert regions
Distribution
Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America
Diet
Seed-harvester; collects and consumes plant seeds as primary food source
Similar Taxa
- Pogonomyrmex magnacanthusPreviously confused with P. hoelldobleri; distinguished by unusually large , high ocular index, and malar ratio typically less than 1.0
- Pogonomyrmex mohavensisSimilar queens and overlapping distribution; distinguished by six mandibular teeth (versus seven), smooth and shining to weakly punctate pronotal interrugal spaces, and cephalic rugae extending more directly to vertex
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally described as part of P. magnacanthus material; recognized as distinct based on morphological and molecular evidence. Named in honor of Bert Hölldobler, renowned myrmecologist.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- Carbo-loading here and there: Odorous house ants, Tapinoma sessile, and harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex — Bug of the Week
- The Painful but Fascinating Stings of Harvester Ants
- Harvester Ant Nest Rims Boost Native, Nonnative Plants Alike
- Harvester Ants Have a Taste for Exotic Seeds
- Heroes, Not Headaches: Reframing the Reputation of Harvester Ants
- Ants in the Nest: A Possible Emerging Pressure on Sea Turtles
- A New Species of Seed-harvester Ant, <i>Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri</i> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America