''Pogonomyrmex rugosus'', the desert harvester ant or rough harvester ant, is a species of

harvester ant Harvester ant, also known as harvesting ant, is a common name for any of the species or genera of ants that collect seeds (called seed predation), or mushrooms as in the case of '' Euprenolepis procera'', which are stored in the nest in commu ...

in the subfamily Myrmicinae which is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the southwestern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, specifically New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Colonies

''P. rugosus'' colonies can grow to have up to 15,000 workers.

Behavior

Foraging Tactics

''P. rugosus'' workers use group foraging tactics that involve the creation of permanent pathways (trunk trails). They also use pheromones trails to draw other workers to areas of food-availability.

Interspecies Interactions

Two other species of harvester ants, '' Pogonomyrmex anergismus'' and '' Pogonomyrmex colei'', have no workers of their own. Instead, they live in the colonies of ''P. rugosus'' and ''

Pogonomyrmex barbatus ''Pogonomyrmex barbatus'' is a species of harvester ant from the genus ''Pogonomyrmex''. Its common names include red ant and red harvester ant. These large (5– to 7-mm) ants prefer arid chaparral habitats and are native to the Southwestern Uni ...

'' (red harvester ant) and enslave workers to raise reproductive males and females for them.

References

External links

* rugosus Endemic fauna of the United States Insects of the United States Hymenoptera of North America Insects described in 1895 {{myrmicinae-stub