Nocturnal-forager
Guides
Achelous
Achelous is a genus of swimming crabs in the family Portunidae, established by De Haan in 1833. These marine brachyuran crabs are characterized by their flattened, streamlined bodies and modified fifth pereiopods adapted for swimming. The genus includes commercially significant species such as A. spinimanus, a fishery resource in southeastern Brazil, and A. hastatus, distributed across the Atlantic-Mediterranean region. Species within this genus exhibit habitat preferences related to sediment type and depth, with some showing age and sexual segregation patterns typical of portunid crabs.
Camponotus novaeboracensis
New York carpenter ant
Camponotus novaeboracensis, commonly known as the New York carpenter ant, is a species of large carpenter ant native to North America. It excavates galleries in dead or decaying wood to house colonies, but does not consume wood as a food source. The species is primarily nocturnal and plays a significant role in forest decomposition. Workers vary in size, with major workers reaching approximately 13–17 mm in length. The species is sometimes confused with other large black ants but can be distinguished by morphological features of the thorax and petiole.
Myrmecocystus mexicanus
Mexican Honeypot Ant, Mexican Honey Ant
Myrmecocystus mexicanus is a North American honeypot ant notable for its specialized replete workers that store liquid food in their distended abdomens. The species exhibits obligate myrmecophagy through its close association with harvester ant colonies, which provide carrion as a primary food source. Colonies are long-lived, averaging 8.9 years with maximum lifespans of 23 years. Nuptial flights occur in late July following rainfall, with queens founding new colonies in open, sun-exposed locations.