William H. Clark

Chemical secretions of two sympatric harvester ants,Pogonomyrmex salinus andMessor lobognathus

Messor lobognathus, an apparent mimic ofPogonomyrmex salinus, shows little chemical resemblance to its exemplar. The mandibular glands ofM. lobognathus gave no volatile compounds. Those ofP. salinus contain chiefly 4-methyl-3-heptanone. Both species contain a mixture of straight-chain alkanes, alkenes, and methyl-branched alkanes in their Dufour glands. Tridecane (64%) is the major substance inM. lobognathus and dodecane (25%) and pentadecane (24%) are the major compounds ofP. salinus. No secretion induced trail-following in either species. A mixture of 9-, 11-, and 13-methylheptacosane formed the largest peak in the chromatograms obtained from the postpharyngeal glands of both species, but otherwise the hydrocarbon mixtures in this gland too were distinct.

Observations of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae, Formicinae, Dolichoderinae) Utilizing Carrion

vida, consistiendo esta bisicamente de atropodos. En forma general la especie se alimenta de arafias, orugas, caracoles, is6podos, escarabajos, bayas, frutos de cactaceas y nectar (Ehrlich et al., 1988). En particular, en nuestro ejemplar (UANL 1672), el contenido estomacal presentaba arafias de la familia Solifugidae y restos de cole6pteros y lepid6pteros no identificables; ademAs las ufias presentaron un desarrollo normal por lo que descartamos la posibilidad de que hubiera sido un ejemplar domesticado. Lo anterior lo remarcamos dado que en la radiografia se presentan centros de recalcificaci6n, lo que indica una dieta alta en componentes como el f6sforo que ayuda a fijar este elemento y que solo pudo ser obtenido por tener una dieta muy selectiva.

Herpetofauna Associated with Palm Oases Across the Californian-Sonoran Transition in Northern Baja California, Mexico

Abstract Ecological boundaries have been of interest to naturalists since the time of Darwin and Wallace because they are transitional zones on the landscape across which distinct changes occur in constitution of plant and animal communities. In the xeric landscapes of the central Baja California Peninsula, fan palm (Erythea armata and Washingtonia robusta) oases are small (usually <1 ha) mesophilic islands of structurally complex habitats. We report new records of mesophilic reptiles and amphibians from the adjacent Californian biome in palm groves of the Sonoran region; these highly philopatric species provide evidence of earlier cooler and moister Pleistocene environments. The fan palm oases of the central Baja California Peninsula are natural laboratories for the study of evolutionary processes because they provide unique mesic habitats in a changing desert landscape.

Chrysobothris knulli Nelson, 1975 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Baja California Sur, Mexico

Resumen A comienzos de diciembre de 2015, un equipo internacional de cientıacute;ficos realizó un estudio de la biodiversidad al interior de la Reserva de la Biósfera Sierra La Laguna en la Región del Cabo de Baja California Sur, México. En este artıacute;culo, se documenta la biodiversidad hallada en la reserva. Se recollectó Chrysobothris knulli Nelson y por primera vez se informa sobre esta especie en la penıacute;nsula. Se documenta la planta huésped adulta como Vachellia farnesiana (L.) Wight & Arnott (Fabaceae). Se aportan registros de distribución adicionales para Baja California Sur. Podrıacute;a tratarse de una especie introducida. La gama de tallas de los individuos recolectados en la reserva concuerda con la de la serie tipo.

Prolixocupes lobiceps (LeConte) on the Baja California Peninsula: First records for suborder Archostemata (Insecta: Coleoptera) and family Cupedidae from México

Abstract We report Prolixocupes lobiceps (LeConte) from Baja California, Mexico. This is the first record of the family Cupedidae and the suborder Archostemata from Mexico, as well as Middle America. Two recent specimens collected at El Berrendo represent the most southern distribution for the species. A review of museum collections yielded four additional northern Baja California records based on a total of 10 specimens. The known distribution of the species for the United States (California and Arizona) is illustrated.

Phradonoma nobile (Reitter, 1881) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), First Record of the Genus Phradonoma Jacquelin Du Val, 1859 in the Nearctic Region

Material Examined. USA: Arizona, Pinal County, Casa Grande, 29.ix.-3.x.2009, W. B. Warner collector, 1 female, voucher specimen in the collection of A. Herrmann. The exact location is at the SW corner of Kleck Road and Evens Road in Casa Grande, Arizona, at 32°54′31′′N, 111°38′45′′W, elevation 432 m (1,416 ft). Remarks. The single female specimen was collected during the day on flowers of Isocoma acradenia (Green) (Asteraceae) blooming next to a couple of large cattle dairies and a calf facility. It is a scraped over area of desert with some native plants regrowing. Hypothetically, the dairies may have imported feeds infested with the dermestid. Distribution. The species is known fromCyprus, England (introduced), Greece, Portugal, Spain, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, “Caucasus”, India (Madhya Pradesh, Rajastan, Uttar Pradesh), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan (Háva 2003, 2011). This is the first report of the species in the USA, where it is likely an introduced species.

IDENTIFICATION OF CRYPTIC HOSTS FOR TWO INQUILINE PARASITES OF THE SEED-HARVESTER ANT POGONOMYRMEX AND NEW LOCALITIES FOR P. ANERGISMUS (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)

Abstract The harvester ants Pogonomyrmex barbatus and P. rugosus serve as hosts for the parasitic ants P. anergismus and P. colei. Recent molecular studies demonstrated that morphology is unreliable for identification of hosts because the hosts contain cryptic species. Using mitochondrial-DNA sequences, we determined identity of 15 of 16 known populations of hosts, and in 9 instances, the identity of the particular host colony. Hosts are composed of 6 reproductively isolated lineages. While P. colei is known only from a single host, P. anergismus occurs in five distinct hosts and appears to have a much broader geographic range. We report seven new locality records for P. anergismus. Range extensions for P. anergismus in the United States consist of southwestern Texas including Big Bend National Park, northwestern Texas, central New Mexico, and south-central Arizona. We discuss factors that may influence dispersal of parasitic ants and host-parasite co-evolution.