Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes


TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#47719
Ponerinae ant - Ponera pennsylvanica

Ponerinae ant - Ponera pennsylvanica
Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA
April 12, 2006
Size: 3 + 4mm
There were 2 different sizes in this group. They look a litle different than the Ponera pennsylvanica I've seen. There seems to be a ridge on both sides of the head. Could this be something else in the same tribe, or is it just variation?

Images of this individual: tag all
Ponerinae ant - Ponera pennsylvanica Ponerinae ant - Ponera pennsylvanica

Thanks James
Moved from Ponerinae.

Ponera pennsylvanica
From Massachusetts, almost certainly this species. In warmer climate areas, the superfically very similar genus Hypoponera also has several North American species.

Magnification...
is just not strong enough to be absolutely conclusive, but I too would lean for "something different" in the same tribe. Subfamily Ponerinae is granted at any rate.
These two shots are very interesting fot at least two other reasons:
First, they show that even so small colonies can have two functional queens (the two biggest individuals, with well developped ocelli, are dealated females).
Second, the size of workers is very variable, the biggest one being hardly smaller than the queens.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.