Messor pergandei facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Messor pergandei |
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| M. pergandei worker from the United States | |
| Scientific classification |
Messor pergandei is a type of harvester ant that lives in the Southwestern United States, especially in the deserts of southeastern California. You can also find them in the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. This ant was first described by Gustav Mayr in 1886. Sometimes, people call them black harvester ants or desert harvester ants, but these names can also refer to other ant species.
About Messor pergandei
M. pergandei ants have a head that is about as long as it is wide. They also have very large mandibles, which are like strong jaws. Their bodies are covered with short white or yellow hairs, and they have a large thorax (the middle part of an insect's body).
Male M. pergandei ants are usually about 8.5 mm (0.33 in) long. Female ants are a bit bigger, typically around 10 mm (0.39 in). However, the size of an individual ant can change. It depends on things like how much food is available and if they have to compete with other ants for resources. This ant species is named after an American ant scientist named Theodore Pergande.
What do Messor pergandei Ants Eat?
Just like other harvester ants, M. pergandei ants collect fruits and seeds to eat. They are very good at finding and gathering these food items.
Their diet often includes seeds from perennial shrubs. Some examples of these plants are Larrea tridentata (also known as creosote bush) and Ambrosia dumosa (also known as burro-weed). These plants are common in the desert areas where the ants live.
