#leptomyrmex

[every-day-creechur]

Leptomyrmex pallens

An ant that is endemic to New Caledonia.

image by Damien Brouste

[futurebird]

An ant we know little about, Cataglyphis lutea

Cataglyphis lutea (UAE and parts of India) is a desert dwelling ant, the photos of this ant on iNaturalist caught my eye, since, like Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (the Spider Ant of Australia), this these little ants fold their gasters over their mesonoma.

Very little is known about Cataglyphis lutea, shockingly little. I can't even find a mention of gaster folding in any of the brief descriptions of this ant.

*This* is why descriptions are not enough.

Yes we have identified thousands of species of ants, but for many all that means in a single dry sample in a museum drawer and five or six sentences describing the ant. We know nothing of the ants behavior, their interactions with other ants and arthropods, their role in the environment.

Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus, is called the "spider ant" but it's not even clear if this ant is trying to mimic a spider, or mimic anything at all. As for what C. lutea is doing? These are her mysteries.

(photos by Jonghyn Park and TimL)

I was able to find a paper about the genus Cataglyphis that uses some serious geometry to make the case that raising their gaster may improve mobility. But, this paper did not cover ants that fold the gaster all the way over as these ants do.

[drhoz]

In this short documentary I cover all the strange happenings inside a large colony of “Spider Ants” (Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus). From their spider-like body structure, to their wingless queens, to their massive repletes, and their bat-like nesting behaviours...Some very odd ants indeed!

[drhoz]

#1495 - Leptomyrmex sp. - Spider Ant

Photo by Laurie Dryburgh in Brisbane.

Leptomyrmex ants are found in wet forests and sclerophyll woodlands, and are distinguished from other ants by their excessively long legs. Males like this one even more so. Most species are found in eastern Australia, nearby islands, and one species, oddly, in central Brazil. There are also 20myo fossils from the Dominican Republic.

I can tell this one is a male because the females of the larger species never have wings, even when leaving to find a mate and start a new colony.

[sevender]

My ant-mechanic oc. Shes loosely based on a Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (the band on her gaster is body paint, she was adopted by a union of Camponotus consobrinus after her own colony/union was lost; the colors are reversed but she's doing her best). M4J-0R is based very loosely on a Eciton major soldier)

[sevender]

more of my Leptomyrmex erhythrocephalus oc. she doesnt have a name yet.

[sevender]

drew my favorite ant! :^)