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Cryptopone sp.
Arizona, USA

photograph © Alex Wild 2005

Even in the United States, many ant species still remain to be discovered.  This small Cryptopone was uncovered accidentally while the photographer excavated a nest of Trachymyrmex ants in Arizona.  Cryptopone has never been recorded west of Texas, and this ant apparently belongs to a species that previously had not been known.

 
USA AZ Cochise Co.: Southwestern Research Station, Chiricahua Mtns., 7km WSW Portal
1650m 31º53´N 109º12´W 
9.viii.2005  Oak-juniper woodland.   #AW2668, voucher specimen deposited at MCZC.

This image is copyrighted by the photographer and cannot be used without permission. To obtain permission to use this image, please email Alex Wild. (alwild (at) myrmecos.net).  Most of the photographs on myrmecos.net are reduced from their original size and compressed for more efficient web transmission.  In some cases, higher quality versions are available.

This image was captured with a Canon EOS D60, with a Canon 65/2.8 MPE 1-5x Macro lens.