Pogonomyrmex rastratus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pogonomyrmex rastratus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Pogonomyrmecini
Genus: Pogonomyrmex
Species group: rastratus
Species: P. rastratus
Binomial name
Pogonomyrmex rastratus
Mayr, 1868

Pogonomyrmex rastratus casent0102689 profile 1.jpg

Pogonomyrmex rastratus casent0102689 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Field experiments studying foraging in P. rastratus were conducted in the Monte Desert, Argentina (Pol et al. 2015). Pogonomyrmex rastratus are solitary foragers. The sum of their foraging efforts, in terms of the area covered, suggests their nest surroundings are continuously and thoroughly explored for food. Pogonomyrmex rastratus primarily collect grass seeds from spring to autumn but can be somewhat flexible. When seeds are scarce, the proportion of non-grass seeds items in their diet increases. Colony size is modest, from 300 - 1100 workers.

Identification

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -25.06777778° to -42.666°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
pChart

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
pChart

Biology

Diet

Dietary preferences of these seed harvesting ants have been studied in the Monte Desert (Biosphere Reserve of Ñacuñán 34°03′S 67°54′W / 34.05°S 67.9°W / -34.05; -67.9), Argentina (see Pirk et. al 2011). In choice tests this species preferred seeds of grass species to those of forbs and shrub.

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Pogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173343 head 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173343 profile 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173343 dorsal 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173343 label 1.jpg
Paralectotype of Pogonomyrmex weiseriWorker. Specimen code casent0173343. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.
Pogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173352 head 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173352 profile 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173352 dorsal 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173352 label 1.jpg
Lectotype of Pogonomyrmex rastratusWorker. Specimen code casent0173352. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMW, Vienna, Austria.
Pogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173353 head 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173353 profile 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173353 dorsal 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173353 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0173353. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMW, Vienna, Austria.
Pogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173355 head 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173355 profile 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173355 dorsal 1.jpgPogonomyrmex rastratus casent0173355 label 1.jpg
Lectotype of Pogonomyrmex carbonariusWorker. Specimen code casent0173355. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMW, Vienna, Austria.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • rastratus. Pogonomyrmex rastratus Mayr, 1868b: 171 (w.) ARGENTINA. Mayr, 1887: 611 (m.). Senior synonym of neuquensis, weiseri: Kusnezov, 1951a: 252.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Behrmann N. B. E., F. A. Milesi, J. Lopez de Casenave, R. G. Pol, and B. Pavan. 2010. Colony size and composition in three Pogonomyrmex ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the central Monte desert, Argentina. Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. 69 (1-2): 117-122.
  • Bruch C. 1914. Catálogo sistemático de los formícidos argentinos. Revista del Museo de La Plata 19: 211-234.
  • Bruch C. 1916. Contribución al estudio de las hormigas de la provincia de San Luis. Revista del Museo de La Plata 23: 291-357.
  • Cheli G. H., J. C. Corley, O. Bruzzone, M. Brío, F. Martínez, N. M. Roman, and I. Ríos. 2010. The ground-dwelling arthropod community of Península Valdés in Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Insect Science 10:50 available online: insectsicence.org/10.50
  • Claver S., S. L. Silnik, and F. F. Campon. 2014. Response of ants to grazing disturbance at the central Monte Desert of Argentina: community descriptors and functional group scheme. J Arid Land 6(1): 117?127.
  • Claver S., and H. G. Gordon. 1993. The ant fauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Nacunan Biosphere reserve. Naturalis Sao Paulo 18: 189-193.
  • Cuezzo, F. 1998. Formicidae. Chapter 42 in Morrone J.J., and S. Coscaron (dirs) Biodiversidad de artropodos argentinos: una perspectiva biotaxonomica Ediciones Sur, La Plata. Pages 452-462.
  • Fergnani P. N., P. Sackmann, and A. Ruggiero. 2010. Richness-environment relationships in epigaeic ants across the Subantarctic-Patagonian transition. Insect Conservation and Diversity 3: 278-290.
  • Gallardo A. 1932. Las hormigas de la República Argentina. Subfamilia Mirmicinas, segunda sección Eumyrmicinae, tribu Myrmicini (F. Smith), género Pogonomyrmex Mayr. Anales del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Buenos Aires 37: 89-170.
  • Johnson Robert. 2014. List of South American species of Pogonomyrmex. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/pogonomyrmex/SOUTHAMERICANPOGOS.htm
  • Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
  • Kusnezov N. 1951. El género Pogonomyrmex Mayr (Hym., Formicidae). Acta Zoologica Lilloana 11: 227-333.
  • Nobua Behrmann B. E., F. A. Milesi, J. Lopez de Casenave, R. G. Pol, and B. Pavan. 2010. Colony size and composition in three Pogonomyrmex ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Central Monte desert, Argentina. Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. 69 (1-2): 117-122.
  • Pirk G. I., J. Lopez de Casenave, and R. G. Pol. 2004. Asociacion de las hormigas granivoras Pogonomyrmex pronotalis, P. rastratus y P. inermis con caminos en el Monte central. Ecologia Austral 14: 65-76.
  • Pirk, G.I. and J. Lopez de Casenave. 2006. Diet and seed removal rates by the harvester ants Pogonomyrmex rastratus and Pogonomyrmex pronotalis in the central Monte desert, Argentina. Insectes Sociaux 53:119-125
  • Santschi F. 1916. Descriptions de fourmis nouvelles d'Afrique et d'Amérique. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 84: 497-513.
  • Santschi F. 1922. Myrmicines, dolichodérines et autres formicides néotropiques. Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 54: 345-378.