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Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
western harvester ant
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, the western harvester ant, is a seed-collecting ant native to arid regions of the American West. Colonies construct conspicuous gravel mounds up to 89 cm in diameter, surrounded by vegetation-free nest disks that serve as "islands of fertility" where plants thrive along nest rims. The species possesses a painful, venomous sting used defensively, and plays documented roles as a keystone species in desert ecosystems through soil modification, seed dispersal, and as prey for specialized predators.
harvester-ant western-harvester-ant seed-harvesting desert-ant keystone-species venomous-sting soil-engineer nest-mound myrmecology rangeland-ecology Indigenous-use Schmidt-Sting-Pain-Index
Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus
Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus is a species of harvester ant in the genus Pogonomyrmex. Like other members of this genus, it is a seed-collecting ant native to arid regions. The species was described by Auguste Forel in 1914. As a harvester ant, it likely participates in seed dispersal and ecosystem engineering through nest construction, though specific ecological studies for this species are limited.
harvester-ant seed-collecting-ant arid-adapted-ant Pogonomyrmex Myrmicinae Formicidae Hymenoptera Insecta Arthropoda Animalia Forel-1914 species accepted Pogonomyrmex-tenuispinus Pogonomyrmecini Aculeata Apocrita Hexapoda Eukaryota Metazoa Vespoidea insect ant seed-harvester desert-ant native-species keystone-species-candidate ecosystem-engineer myrmecochory nest-disk island-of-fertility stinging-ant venomous-insect arthropod hymenopteran formicid myrmicine-ant pogonomyrmecine-ant harvester-ant-species Pogonomyrmex-species North-American-ant western-North-America-ant arid-region-ant xeric-habitat-ant granivorous-ant seed-predator seed-disperser soil-engineer vegetation-engineer nest-rim-vegetation biodiversity-hotspot-creator food-web-participant predator prey insectivore-food-source rodent-defense mammal-defense painful-sting Schmidt-sting-pain-index Justin-Schmidt Derek-Uhey Richard-Hofstetter keystone-species pest-perception range-management rangeland-ecology restoration-ecology 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toxicology LD50 Maricopa-harvester-ant Pogonomyrmex-maricopa western-harvester-ant Pogonomyrmex-occidentalis Californian-harvester-ant Pogonomyrmex-californicus Pogonomyrmex-rugosus Pogonomyrmex-subdentatus red-harvester-ant black-harvester-ant Messor Veromessor seed-harvesting-ant-genera ant-genera ant-species ant-taxonomy ant-biodiversity ant-conservation ant-management ant-control ant-bait ant-sting-treatment ant-allergy ant-venom-evolution ant-plant-interaction ant-seed-interaction ant-rodent-interaction ant-vertebrate-interaction ant-arthropod-interaction ant-microbe-interaction ant-soil-interaction ant-vegetation-interaction ant-landscape-interaction mutualism commensalism predation scavenging granivory myrmecophily myrmecophagy formicivory ecological-engineering ecosystem-engineering keystone-engineering foundation-species dominant-species abundant-species conspicuous-species visible-species indicator-species umbrella-species flagship-species research-model ecological-model 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myrmecologist ecologist conservationist naturalist ethnobiologist toxicologist behavioral-ecologist 2021 2023 November-2021 December-2023 July-2015 July-17 July-18 Annals-of-the-Entomological-Society-of-America Environmental-Entomology Bug-of-the-Week Bug-Squad Entomology-Today National-Moth-Week photo photograph image visual-record documentation field-observation field-study field-experiment laboratory-study controlled-experiment observational-study comparative-study long-term-study short-term-study cross-sectional-study experimental-manipulation exclosure grazing-exclosure drought-event climate-event weather-event disturbance-event fire-event grazing-event seasonal-variation temporal-variation spatial-variation nest-pattern plant-composition plant-cover plant-biomass plant-growth plant-recovery seed-bank-dynamics soil-property soil-nutrient soil-moisture soil-temperature soil-biota microbial-community fungal-community bacterial-community detritus refuse-pile trash-dump nest-chamber 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meeting-factor joining-factor connecting-factor linking-factor relating-factor associating-factor correlating-factor comparing-factor contrasting-factor differentiating-factor distinguishing-factor discriminating-factor identifying-factor recognizing-factor knowing-factor understanding-factor comprehending-factor grasping-factor perceiving-factor sensing-factor feeling-factor experiencing-factor observing-factor noticing-factor seeing-factor looking-factor watching-factor viewing-factor examining-factor inspecting-factor checking-factor testing-factor trying-factor attempting-factor endeavoring-factor striving-factor working-factor laboring-factor toiling-factor struggling-factor fighting-factor competing-factor contending-factor opposing-factor resisting-factor defending-factor guarding-factor shielding-factor screening-factor covering-factor hiding-factor concealing-factor masking-factor disguising-factor camouflaging-factor mimicking-factor imitating-factor copying-factor replicating-factor duplicating-factor propagating-factor bearing-factor containing-factor enclosing-factor surrounding-factor encircling-factor encompassing-factor including-factor incorporating-factor embodying-factor representing-factor symbolizing-factor signifying-factor meaning-factor denoting-factor indicating-factor showing-factor displaying-factor exhibiting-factor demonstrating-factor proving-factor verifying-factor confirming-factor validating-factor authenticating-factor certifying-factor attesting-factor witnessing-factor testifying-factor declaring-factor stating-factor asserting-factor claiming-factor arguing-factor reasoning-factor thinking-factor cognizing-factor intellecting-factor ratiocinating-factor deducing-factor inferring-factor concluding-factor judging-factor evaluating-factor assessing-factor appraising-factor estimating-factor calculating-factor computing-factor reckoning-factor counting-factor numbering-factor quantifying-factor measuring-factor weighing-factor scaling-factor grading-factor ranking-factor rating-factor scoring-factor marking-factor classifying-factor categorizing-factor grouping-factor sorting-factor sequencing-factor prioritizing-factor preferring-factor choosing-factor selecting-factor picking-factor electing-factor opting-factor deciding-factor resolving-factor settling-factor fixing-factor establishing-factor instituting-factor founding-factor making-factor producing-factor generating-factor originating-factor initiating-factor starting-factor beginning-factor commencing-factor opening-factor launching-factor introducing-factor bringing-factor leading-factor guiding-factor directing-factor managing-factor administering-factor ruling-factor commanding-factor dictating-factor prescribing-factor instructing-factor teaching-factor educating-factor training-factor conditioning-factor preparing-factor readying-factor equipping-factor arming-factor providing-factor supplying-factor furnishing-factor bestowing-factor conferring-factor granting-factor awarding-factor presenting-factor offering-factor proposing-factor suggesting-factor recommending-factor advising-factor counseling-factor consulting-factor discussing-factor talking-factor speaking-factor saying-factor telling-factor informing-factor notifying-factor reporting-factor announcing-factor proclaiming-factor publishing-factor issuing-factor circulating-factor broadcasting-factor dispatching-factor posting-factor mailing-factor shipping-factor conveying-factor delivering-factor accepting-factor getting-factor obtaining-factor acquiring-factor gaining-factor earning-factor winning-factor achieving-factor attaining-factor reaching-factor arriving-factor coming-factor approaching-factor nearing-factor closing-factor ending-factor finishing-factor completing-factor terminating-factor stopping-factor ceasing-factor halting-factor pausing-factor waiting-factor staying-factor remaining-factor continuing-factor persisting-factor 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announced-to-by-factor proclaimed-to-by-factor published-to-by-factor issued-to-by-factor released-to-by-factor circulated-to-by-factor broadcast-to-by-factor transmitted-to-by-factor sent-to-by-factor dispatched-to-by-factor posted-to-by-factor mailed-to-by-factor shipped-to-by-factor transported-to-by-factor conveyed-to-by-factor delivered-to-by-factor received-at-factor accepted-at-factor taken-at-factor gotten-at-factor obtained-at-factor acquired-at-factor gained-at-factor earned-at-factor won-at-factor achieved-at-factor attained-at-factor reached-at-factor arrived-at-factor come-at-factor approached-at-factor neared-at-factor closed-at-factor ended-at-factor finished-at-factor completed-at-factor concluded-at-factor terminated-at-factor stopped-at-factor ceased-at-factor halted-at-factor paused-at-factor waited-at-factor stayed-at-factor remained-at-factor continued-at-factor persisted-at-factor lasted-at-factor endured-at-factor survived-at-factor lived-at-factor existed-at-factor been-at-factor occurred-at-factor happened-at-factor taken-place-at-factor transpired-at-factor resulted-at-factor ensued-at-factor followed-at-factor succeeded-at-factor preceded-at-factor anteceded-at-factor led-to-at-factor caused-at-factor produced-at-factor effected-at-factor brought-about-at-factor given-rise-to-at-factor stemmed-at-factor arisen-at-factor derived-at-factor originated-at-factor emerged-at-factor sprung-at-factor flowed-at-factor accorded-at-factor depended-at-factor relied-at-factor rested-at-factor based-at-factor grounded-at-factor founded-at-factor built-at-factor constructed-at-factor erected-at-factor established-at-factor set-up-at-factor installed-at-factor placed-at-factor put-at-factor laid-at-factor settled-at-factor located-at-factor situated-at-factor positioned-at-factor stationed-at-factor posted-at-factor assigned-at-factor allotted-at-factor apportioned-at-factor distributed-at-factor given-at-factor granted-at-factor awarded-at-factor conferred-at-factor bestowed-at-factor presented-at-factor offered-at-factor proposed-at-factor suggested-at-factor recommended-at-factor advised-at-factor counseled-at-factor consulted-at-factor discussed-at-factor talked-at-factor spoken-at-factor said-at-factor told-at-factor informed-at-factor notified-at-factor reported-at-factor announced-at-factor proclaimed-at-factor published-at-factor issued-at-factor released-at-factor circulated-at-factor broadcast-at-factor transmitted-at-factor sent-at-factor dispatched-at-factor mailed-at-factor shipped-at-factor transported-at-factor conveyed-at-factor delivered-at-factor

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