From Antweb‘s extensive image collection, here is a rather unusual member of its genus:
What is it?
Points will be awarded to the first commentators to guess the subfamily (3 pts), genus (4 pts), and species (3pts).
The cumulative points winner for the month of November will win their choice of 1) any 8×10-sized print from my photo galleries, or 2) a guest post here at Myrmecos on a safe-for-work topic of their choosing.
Looks like Dolichoderinae, Technomyrmex schoedli: http://www.antweb.org/description.do?subfamily=dolichoderinae&genus=technomyrmex&name=schoedli&rank=species&project=worldants
It had me fooled as a Leptomyrmex first, but Leptomyrmex’s face is longer and less round than that. I thought it was a dolichoderine because as far as I can tell it doesn’t have the acidopore that is characteristic of formicines, which also have a one-segmented waist.
I’d have to say that’s a praying antis.
Ug.
Technomyrmex are usually such squat little tapinomoids — This one is quite elegant.
Wow — elegant. I never heard an ant called “elegant” before…but she is, isn’t she?
That sounds better as an insult:
“You dirty rotten squat little tapinomoid!”