Opamyrma hungvuong Yamane et al 2008
Vietnam

It isn’t every day we get a whole new genus. In this week’s Zootaxa, Seiki Yamane, Tuan Vet Bui, and Katsuyuki Eguchi report the discovery of Opamyrma, an amblyoponine ant from central Vietnam. The full article is behind Zootaxa’s subscription barrier, but detailed specimen photos are already up at Antweb.

The ant subfamily Amblyoponinae is an ancient group. They diverged from the other ant lineages prior to the evolution of trophallaxis food-sharing behavior, and have instead adopted an odd and seemingly brutal way of passing food around the colony. Adult ants pierce the skin of the larvae with their jaws and drink the haemolymph. This behavior has lead to the common name “Dracula Ants” for the Amblyoponinae, and it is likely that Opamyrma engages in it as well.

Where the natural history is known, amblyoponine species are predatory. Judging from the stinger, Opamyrma must be too.

source: Yamane et al. 2008. Opamyrma hungvuong, a new genus and species of ant related to Apomyrma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Amblyoponinae). Zootaxa 1767: 55-63.

Roy Snelling, 73; renowned entomologist was an expert on ants.

I’ve just received the following notice about an upcoming NOVA show on the life of biologist/myrmecologist E. O. Wilson:

NOVA is excited to partner with organizations that share our passion for scientific discovery as we spread the word about upcoming shows. On Tuesday, May 20, we invite you to join us for a look at the life and work of renowned Harvard entomologist and conservationist E.O. Wilson. From his groundbreaking discoveries about ant culture to his controversial take on the biological basis for human behavior, NOVA presents a sweeping chronicle of Wilson’s extraordinary career. In six decades exploring treasure-troves of biodiversity across the globe, Wilson has discovered more than 300 new species and emerged as an outspoken environmental advocate, fighting to preserve the astonishing diversity of our planet for the next generation of naturalists.

“Lord of the Ants” will premiere Tuesday, May 20 at 8 pm ET/PT on most PBS stations. To check your local listings, please visit: PBS - Nova schedule

You can also learn more about Wilson’s career–and get a close-up look at some of the planet’s wildest ant varieties– here.

We hope you will help us get the word out about “Lord of the Ants” by passing the attached e-card on to friends and colleagues who might want to tune in. Thank you!

Best wishes, NOVA

photo source

Pheidole pegasus Sarnat 2008
Fiji

Eli Sarnat, the reigning expert on the Ants of Fiji, has just published a lovely taxonomic revision of a group of Pheidole that occur on the islands. Pheidole are found in warmer regions worldwide, but Fiji has seen a remarkable radiation of species that share a bizarre set of spines on the mesosoma. Eli sorted through hundreds of these things to determine that the group contains seven species, five of which had not previously been described. Pheidole pegasus is largest and among the most distinct of the group.  It was collected only once, from the summit of Mt. Delaikoro.

Source: Sarnat, E.M. 2008. A taxonomic revision of the Pheidole roosevelti-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Fiji. Zootaxa 1767: 1-36.

The visit of Australian friends a couple weeks ago provided an excuse to go photograph Arizona’s most famous landmark. Appearances aside, the Grand Canyon is not an easy subject. Most shots appear flat in comparison to real-time views, failing to capture the canyon’s immense depths or the enormity of the open space. This is true of much landscape photography, and I’ve come to respect the people who are good at it.

Our trip had the additional challenge of a perfectly clear day. Blue sky sounds nice in the abstract, but a lack of clouds means a boring sky and hopelessly bottom-heavy photographs. I ended up trying shots that didn’t include much sky, and when I did, I used a polarizing filter to deepen the blues and create some interest.

Below are a few of the better pictures.

Rose Aphids - Macrosiphum rosae
Tucson, Arizona

It’s fair to say that without the encouragement of my mother, who allowed all manner of newts, snakes, caterpillars, tadpoles and ants into the house, I would not have gone on to become a biologist.

Thanks Mom, and happy mother’s day!

photo details: Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x macro lens on a Canon 20D
f/13, 1/250 sec, ISO 100, twin flash diffused through tracing paper.

]]> http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/happy-mothers-day/feed/ myrmecos http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/friday-beetle-blogging-amphizoa-trout-stream-beetle/ http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/friday-beetle-blogging-amphizoa-trout-stream-beetle/#comments Fri, 09 May 2008 14:40:54 +0000 myrmecos http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/?p=487

Amphizoa insolens - trout stream beetle
California

Amphizoa are among the more enigmatic insects I’ve photographed. These dime-sized beetles are found only in the mountains of China and western North America, a disjunct distribution paralleled by a number of interesting taxa, including the giant redwoods. All six species are predaceous and aquatic, living in debris and under stones in fast-running creeks. Because adults have a morphology suggestive of the terrestrial ground beetles, some researchers have proposed that Amphizoa represents an evolutionary transition between terrestrial and aquatic habitats.

photo details: Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens on a Canon D60
f/13, 1/125 sec, ISO 100, twin flash bounced off white board

]]> http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/friday-beetle-blogging-amphizoa-trout-stream-beetle/feed/ myrmecos http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/blog-neglect/ http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/blog-neglect/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 20:20:02 +0000 myrmecos http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/?p=486

Busy, busy, busy. In the meantime, there’s always the “Blog” of Unnecessary Quotation Marks.

Macrosiphum rosae - Rose aphids
Arizona

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is another Aussie band that has made it into my regular rotation. Nick Cave was recently interviewed by Terry Gross, where we learn that his parentage includes a librarian and an English teacher. This may explain the sophistication of his lyrics. In any case, I like it.