max_devis's Favorites

Same nest as:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177784305

Keys to C. cursor, erect hairs on scape and gaster nearly absent compared to C. piliscapa.
piliscapa: https://www.antweb.org/bigPicture.do?name=casent0911106&shot=h&number=1
cursor from s. France: https://www.antweb.org/bigPicture.do?name=casent0106260&shot=h&number=1

Seems to be the known disjunct population of C.cursor found northwest of Madrid, separated from the France population. Mitochondrial analysis indicates it may be a separate species:
https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3013514/v1_covered_49badf57-856b-4056-9167-b5a9cf51e460.pdf?c=1686032146
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/030519789090036F

So, this is a polyergus bilateral gynandromorph! ½ worker caste (red), ½ alate (black). The mandibles, eyes, single wing, and antennae are the more obvious caste traits reflected in each half of this individual. Found them shortly after leaving the colony possibly (I found one a few feet away).
See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124878696
& https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124879042

Alates readying for flight almost at sundown
pictures now almost 5 years old
this colony has seen better years and are starting to dwindle lately

this colony has its sequences somewhere in genbank btw

So... these ants. did not expect the first ants to see in the middle east to be Iridomyrmex*es.
Regarding the *"invasive" I. anceps records outside of Australia, specimens from Indomalayan regions turned out to be separate native lineages while New Zealand populations were later reidentified to be suchieri. Now only a handfull of localities are left with introduced anceps records, and the Iridomyrmex I've found in Dubai were keyed out to be suchieri and I personally think all other records could also actually be not anceps

They seemed to be enjoying the similar warm dry weather, with no other dolichoderin to compete. Picture qualities suck as I wasn't really patient enough to wait for good shots and cropped out from far focused pictures.

Numerous ants of the same species observed on the plant (Still to be identified) - Distinct from other ants on the plant by the black head and Gaster. There appears to be a distinct white/silver band(s) across the abdomen.

The mandibles of Trap-jaw Ants are capable of snapping shut in less than a millisecond (1/1000 sec.), the fastest known reflex action in the entire animal kingdom. With jaws cocked open at 180 degrees, the involuntary snapping action is triggered when special sensory hairs at the base of the mandibles come in contact with potential prey. Trap-jaw Ants can be found in most tropical environments around the world.