Global perspectives and transdisciplinary opportunities for locust and grasshopper pest management and research

Locusts and other migratory grasshoppers are transboundary pests. Monitoring and control, therefore, involve a complex system made up of social, ecological, and technological factors. Researchers and those involved in active management are calling for more integration between these siloed but often interrelated sectors. In this paper, we bring together 38 coauthors from six continents and 34 unique organizations, representing much of the social-ecological-technological system (SETS) related to grasshopper and locust management and research around the globe, to introduce current topics of interest and review recent advancements. Together, the paper explores the relationships, strengths, and weaknesses of the organizations responsible for the management of major locust-affected regions. The authors cover topics spanning humanities, social science, and the history of locust biological research and offer insights and approaches for the future of collaborative sustainable locust management. These perspectives will help support sustainable locust management, which still faces immense challenges such as fluctuations in funding, focus, isolated agendas, trust, communication, transparency, pesticide use, and environmental and human health standards. Arizona State University launched the Global Locust Initiative (GLI) in 2018 as a response to some of these challenges. The GLI welcomes individuals with interests in locusts and grasshoppers, transboundary pests, integrated pest management, landscape-level processes, food security, and/or cross-sectoral initiatives

The Genome Sequence of the Leaf-Cutter Ant Atta cephalotes Reveals Insights into Its Obligate Symbiotic Lifestyle

Leaf-cutter ants are one of the most important herbivorous insects in the Neotropics, harvesting vast quantities of fresh leaf material. The ants use leaves to cultivate a fungus that serves as the colony's primary food source. This obligate ant-fungus mutualism is one of the few occurrences of farming by non-humans and likely facilitated the formation of their massive colonies. Mature leaf-cutter ant colonies contain millions of workers ranging in size from small garden tenders to large soldiers, resulting in one of the most complex polymorphic caste systems within ants. To begin uncovering the genomic underpinnings of this system, we sequenced the genome of Atta cephalotes using 454 pyrosequencing. One prediction from this ant's lifestyle is that it has undergone genetic modifications that reflect its obligate dependence on the fungus for nutrients. Analysis of this genome sequence is consistent with this hypothesis, as we find evidence for reductions in genes related to nutrient acquisition. These include extensive reductions in serine proteases (which are likely unnecessary because proteolysis is not a primary mechanism used to process nutrients obtained from the fungus), a loss of genes involved in arginine biosynthesis (suggesting that this amino acid is obtained from the fungus), and the absence of a hexamerin (which sequesters amino acids during larval development in other insects). Following recent reports of genome sequences from other insects that engage in symbioses with beneficial microbes, the A. cephalotes genome provides new insights into the symbiotic lifestyle of this ant and advances our understanding of host–microbe symbioses

Population and colony structure and morphometrics in the queen dimorphic little black ant, Monomorium sp. AZ-02, with a review of queen phenotypes in the genus Monomorium.

The North American little black ant, Monomorium sp. AZ-02 (subfamily Myrmicinae), displays a dimorphism that consists of alate (winged) and ergatoid (wingless) queens. Surveys at our field site in southcentral Arizona, USA, demonstrated that only one queen phenotype (alate or ergatoid) occurred in each colony during the season in which reproductive sexuals were produced. A morphometric analysis demonstrated that ergatoid queens retained all specialized anatomical features of alate queens (except for wings), and that they were significantly smaller and had a lower mass than alate queens. Using eight morphological characters, a discriminant analysis correctly categorized all queens (40 of 40) of both phenotypes. A molecular phylogeny using 420 base pairs of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I demonstrated that alate and ergatoid queens are two alternative phenotypes within the species; both phenotypes were intermixed on our phylogeny, and both phenotypes often displayed the same haplotype. A survey of the genus Monomorium (358 species) found that wingless queens (ergatoid queens, brachypterous queens) occur in 42 of 137 species (30.6%) in which the queen has been described. These wingless queen species are geographically and taxonomically widespread as they occur on several continents and in eight species groups, suggesting that winglessness probably arose independently on many occasions in the genus

Taxonomic revision of the genus Prionopelta (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the Malagasy region

In this study we revise the taxonomy of the genus Prionopelta for the Malagasy region, treating seven species, six of which are newly described (P. laurae sp. n., P. seychelles sp. n., P. subtilis sp. n., P. talos sp. n., P. vampira sp. n., P. xerosilva sp. n.), and one redescribed (P. descarpentriesi Santschi). One species, P. seychelles, is restricted to Seychelles, while the six remaining species treated are endemic to Madagascar

A new North American species of Pogonomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Mohave Desert of Eastern California and Western Nevada

Volume: 18Start Page: 305End Page: 31

Species of <i>Monomorium</i> outside of North America that have ergatoid queens (EQ) or brachypterous (= non-functional, short-winged) queens (BQ); alate queens (AQ) also occur in some of these species.

<p>Species of <i>Monomorium</i> outside of North America that have ergatoid queens (EQ) or brachypterous (= non-functional, short-winged) queens (BQ); alate queens (AQ) also occur in some of these species.</p

Pogonomyrmex mohavensis Johnson

Pogonomyrmex mohavensis Johnson (Figures 2, 9) Pogonomyrmex mohavensis was described from workers at several locations in California and Nevada (Johnson & Overson, 2009). Alate queens were recently collected from a nest in California: Kern County, Hwy 43 at 17.6 km N Wasco, Sept 15, 2011; 35 o45.0’N 119 o 20.7 ’W, 80 m (RAJ # 4805; specimens in RAJC), and they are described herein. The nest was in disturbed roadside habitat surrounded by agricultural fields. Workers in this nest were significantly larger than those collected at previous locations; HW ranged from 1.31–1.67 mm in the description of the species, while those at the present location ranged from 1.91–2.05 mm (n = 9). Worker. Diagnosis. Pogonomyrmex mohavensis is characterized by: (1) cephalic rugae not forming circumocular whorls, but rather extending more or less directly to the vertex or converging only slightly near the vertex, (2) mandible with six teeth (a seventh sometimes occurs as a denticle between the basal and sub-basal teeth), and (3) interrugal spaces on pronotal sides smooth and shining to slightly punctate and moderately shining. Queen Diagnosis. As in worker diagnosis, but with caste-specific structures related to wing-bearing, presence of small ocelli on head, and as illustrated in Figure 9. Mandible with six teeth or with a seventh tooth that occurs as a denticle between the basal and sub-basal teeth. All mesosomal surfaces except for mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with prominent rugae; sculpturing absent on mesoscutum and mesoscutellum except for scattered punctures or with faint longitudinal striae. Posterior face of petiole with coarse transverse, oblique, or longitudinal rugae, dorsum of postpetiole with weaker transverse rugae. Base of scape noticeably flattened; superior and inferior lobes very well developed, wider than width of scape base. Measurements (mm)—(n = 2). HL 1.91–1.95; HW 2.01–2.08; MOD 0.43 – 0.43; OMD 0.49–0.57; SL 1.36– 1.38; PNW 1.52–1.62; HFL 1.91 –2.00; ML 2.60–2.70; PW 0.74 – 0.74; PPW 0.89–0.90. Indices: SI 66.35–67.66; CI 105.24–106.67; OI 20.67–21.39; HFI 95.02–96.15. Description. As in worker diagnosis, but with caste-specific structures related to wing-bearing, presence of small ocelli on head, and as illustrated in Figure 9. Dorsum and sides of head with strong, widely spaced rugae, in side view rugae converging near or slightly anterior to vertex, interrugal spaces smooth and strongly shining. In full-face view, head slightly broader than long, posterior margin flat. Mandible with six teeth on one queen, the other with a seventh tooth that occurred as a denticle between the basal and sub-basal teeth (Figure 9), dorsal surface coarsely rugose, strongly shining. Eye not large (OI = 20.67–21.39), MOD ranging from 0.22–0.23 x HL. Base of scape noticeably flattened; superior and inferior lobes very well developed, wider than width of scape base. Mesosoma as described above, propodeum unarmed; in side view, juncture of dorsum of propodeum and propodeal declivity rounded to subangulate, sides and dorsal surface rugose, shining, posterior surface smooth and strongly shining. Petiolar peduncle long, ventral margin straight. In side view, petiolar node asymmetrical with anterior surface shorter than posterior surface. Apex of node weakly rounded. Postpetiole broader than long. Posterior face of petiole with coarse transverse, oblique, or longitudinal rugae, dorsum of postpetiole with weaker transverse rugae, interrugal spaces weakly to moderately punctate, sub-shining. Gastric tergites weakly coriarious to mostly smooth and shining. Most body surfaces with moderately abundant coarse suberect to erect white setae. Entire body concolorous light to dark ferruginous orange. Male. Unknown. Discussion. The queens of P. mohavensis and P. hoelldobleri are very similar. The best characters to separate queens of these two species appear to be: (1) number of teeth (seven in P. hoelldobleri, six or with a seventh tooth that occurs as a denticle between the basal and sub-basal teeth in P. mohavensis), (2) sculpturing (posterior face of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole weakly to moderately granulate or with weak tranverse rugae in P. hoelldobleri; posterior face of petiole with coarse transverse, oblique, or longitudinal rugae, dorsum of postpetiole with weaker transverse rugae in P. mohavensis), and (3) conformation of the base of the scape (base of scape rounded, superior and inferior lobes poorly developed in P. hoelldobleri; base of scape noticeably flattened, superior and inferior lobes well developed in P. mohavensis). The queens of P. mohavensis also were significantly larger (HW = 2.01– 2.08 mm) than those of P. hoelldobleri (HW = 1.44–1.79 mm). However, these queens of P. mohavensis are likely to be significantly larger than those in other parts of their range where the workers are much smaller.Published as part of Johnson, Robert A., Overson, Rick P. & Moreau, Corrie S., 2013, A New Species of Seed-harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America, pp. 201-227 in Zootaxa 3646 (3) on page 220, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3646.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/22289

A New Species of Seed-harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America

Johnson, Robert A., Overson, Rick P., Moreau, Corrie S. (2013): A New Species of Seed-harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America. Zootaxa 3646 (3): 201-227, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3646.3.

Morphological measures (means ± 1 SE; values in mm) for alate and ergatoid queens of <i>Monomorium</i> sp. AZ-02; <i>N</i> = 20 per caste (≤ 2 queens per colony).

<p>Morphological measures (means ± 1 SE; values in mm) for alate and ergatoid queens of <i>Monomorium</i> sp. AZ-02; <i>N</i> = 20 per caste (≤ 2 queens per colony).</p

Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri Johnson & Overson & Moreau 2013, NEW SPECIES

Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri Johnson, Overson & Moreau, NEW SPECIES (Figures 2, 6– 8) Pogonomyrmex magnacanthus Cole, 1968: 133 [part]. Worker Diagnosis. Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri is characterized by: (1) eye not unusually large (MOD usually 1.05 (Figure 3), (2) mandible with seven teeth, (3) cephalic rugae converge posterior to eyes, usually near vertex, but not forming circumocular whorls, (4) interrugal spaces on pronotal sides moderately to strongly granulate, dull to weakly shining (see Figures 2, 6), and (5) gaster concolorous with head and mesosoma. Measurements (mm)— holotype (n = 75 [15 paratypes, 43 non-types, 16 P. magnacanthus Paratypes]). HL 1.57 (1.24–1.76); HW 1.55 (1.17–1.84); MOD 0.36 (0.30–0.42); OMD 0.42 (0.35–0.72); SL 1.20 (0.94–1.34); PNW 0.91 (0.77–1.11); HF 1.67 (1.19–1.89); ML 1.84 (1.35–2.03); PW 0.34 (0.27–0.46): PPW 0.51 (0.38–0.59). Indices: SI 77.42 (66.25–87.18); CI 98.73 (93.98–115.79); OI 23.23 (21.12–29.01); HFI 107.74 (84.97–117.93). Description. Head subquadrate to quadrate (CI = 93.98–115.79), broadest just posterior to eye; posterior margin flat in full-face view. Longitudinal cephalic rugae prominent, in full-face view median rugae usually diverging toward posterior corners near posterior margin of head. In side view, rugae converging slightly near vertex, occasionally becoming faint between posterior margin of eye and vertex. Vertex faintly to strongly rugose, occasionally mostly smooth to weakly granulate, sub-shining to shining. Cephalic interrugal spaces moderately punctate, sub-shining to smooth and shining. Anterior margin of clypeus slightly concave. Mandible with seven teeth; mandibular dorsum coarsely striate. In profile, eyes not unusually large, MOD ranging from 0.22–0.29 x HL, OI = 21.12–29.01, MR usually> 1.05; eye situated near middle of head. Antennal scapes moderately long (SI = 66.25–87.18), failing to reach vertex by less than length of basal funicular segment. Basal flange of antennal scape flattened and well developed, margin weakly carinate. Psammophore well developed. Mesosomal profile convex. All mesosomal surfaces with prominent parallel/subparallel rugae. Dorsum of promesonotum with transverse rugae that curve obliquely to posterior on pronotal sides, rugae on pronotal sides often slightly less distinct than on other portions of mesosoma; rugae usually oblique to longitudinal on anterior portion of mesonotum. Mesopleura with subparallel rugae angling posterodorsally. Propodeum lacking spines or teeth; in side view, juncture of propodeum and propodeal declivity evenly convex to weakly angulate; rugae on propodeal dorsum transverse, declivitous face smooth and shining. Propodeal spiracles narrowly ovate. Interrugal spaces on mesosoma moderately granulate-punctate, sub-shining to smooth and shining; interrugal spaces on pronotal sides usually more densely granulate than other portions of mesosoma. Legs moderately to strongly shining. Petiolar peduncle long, ventral margin straight. In side view, posterior face of petiole slightly convex; petiolar node asymmetrical with anterior surface slightly shorter than posterior surface. Apex of node weakly to strongly angulate, posterior surface sometimes curved upward near anterior margin. In dorsal view, petiolar node longer than broad, sides subparallel or diverging slightly toward the smoothly rounded to weakly angulate anterior margin. Sides and dorsum of petiolar node strongly granulate-punctate, dull to sub-shining to smooth and shining, occasionally with several longitudinal to oblique rugae that are restricted to posterior one-third of petiole. Dorsum of postpetiole convex in profile; in dorsal view, widest at or near posterior margin and tapering to anterior margin, maximal width about equal to length, weakly to moderately granulate, dull to sub-shining. Gaster smooth and strongly shining. Erect to suberect white pilosity moderately abundant on head, short to medium in length, often with one to few longer hairs, none exceeding MOD. Moderately abundant semidecumbent to decumbent pilosity on scape, abundant semidecumbent to decumbent hairs on funicular segments. Legs with moderately abundant suberect to semidecumbent white setae. Mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole with a lower density of mostly longer, flexuous hairs mostly concentrated on dorsal surface, longest distinctly shorter than MOD; gastric tergites with moderately abundant, medium length suberect hairs. Entire body concolorous light to dark ferruginous orange, posterior portion of gaster sometimes slightly darker (Figure 6). Queen Diagnosis. As in worker diagnosis, but with caste-specific structures related to wing-bearing and presence of small ocelli on head. Mandible with seven teeth. Eye not unusually large (MOD 1.05). All mesosomal surfaces except for mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with prominent rugae; sculpturing absent on mesoscutum and mesoscutellum except for scattered punctures and occasional faint longitudinal striae (Figure 7). Posterior face of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole weakly to moderately granulate or with weak tranverse rugae. Base of scape rounded; superior and inferior lobes poorly developed, no wider than width of scape base. Measurements (mm)—(n = 8). HL 1.36–1.66; HW 1.44–1.79; MOD 0.40–0.45; OMD 0.40–0.50; SL 0.97– 1.23; PNW 1.24–1.54; HFL 1.38–1.67; ML 2.18–2.62; PW 0.45–0.57; PPW 0.61–0.73. Indices: SI 65.52–72.12; CI 100.00– 114.10; OI 22.47–28.47; HFI 83.64–109.03. Description. As in worker diagnosis, but with caste-specific structures related to wing-bearing, presence of small ocelli on head, and as illustrated in Figure 7. Small, only slightly larger than conspecific workers. In full-face view, head quadrate to broader than long, posterior margin flat. Dorsum and sides of head conspicuously rugose, in side view rugae forming circumocular whorls posterior to eyes or rugae converging near vertex, interrugal spaces smooth and strongly shining. Mandible with seven teeth, dorsal surface coarsely rugose, strongly shining. Eyes not large (OI = 22.47–28.47), MR usually> 1.05, MOD ranging from 0.25–0.30 x HL. Base of scape not flattened; superior and inferior lobes poorly developed, no wider than width of base of scape. Mesosoma as described above, propodeum unarmed; in side view, juncture of propodeum and propodeal declivity rounded to subangulate, sides and dorsal surface rugose or rugae absent near mid-line, shining, posterior surface smooth and strongly shining. Petiolar peduncle long, ventral margin straight. In side view, petiolar node asymmetrical with anterior surface shorter than posterior surface. Apex of node moderately to strongly angulate, anterior edge of posterior face sometimes curved upward forming a crest. Postpetiole broader than long. Posterior face of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole weakly to moderately granulate or with weak transverse rugae, subshining to shining. Gastric tergites smooth and shining. Most body surfaces with moderately abundant coarse suberect to erect setae. Entire body concolorous light to dark ferruginous orange, except for incomplete to complete darker transverse bands on one or more gastric tergites. Male Diagnosis. Mandible with four teeth on suboblique cutting margin. Mandibular dorsum, clypeus, and antennal scapes lacking sculpture (mandibular dorsum occasionally with faint striae), mostly smooth and shining except for scattered punctures; anterior margin of clypeus weakly concave, lateral lobes indistinct. Eye not unusually large (MOD 0.38) (Figure 8). Measurements (mm)—(n = 2). HL 1.15–1.25; HW 1.27–1.30; MOD 0.49–0.50; OMD 0.19–0.20; SL 0.54– 0.56; HFL 1.43–1.56; ML 2.08–2.26; PW 0.54–0.58; PPW 0.65–0.73. Indices: SI 42.52–43.08; CI 104.00– 110.43; OI 37.69–39.37; HFI 112.60 –120.00. Description. Mandible with four teeth on suboblique cutting margin; tip of sub-apical tooth sometimes weakly bifid; basal tooth not offset; mandibular dorsum as described above. Anterior margin of clypeus broadly and shallowly concave, mostly smooth and shining except for scattered punctures, lateral lobes indistinct. Antennal scapes reaching to or near posterior margin of eye, mostly smooth and shining. Cephalic rugae fine and close, slightly wavy to irregular, interrugae weakly punctate, moderately shining. In profile, anterior face of mesonotum forming a mostly straight line with pronotum, slightly less than one-half as long as dorsal surface. In side view, juncture between propodeum and propodeal declivity subangulate, without spines or denticles. Sides of pronotal collar superficially rugoreticulate to punctate-granulate; katepisternum partially to largely covered by very fine wavy to irregular longitudinal striae, sub-shining to shining. Mesonotum shiny with piligerous punctures, notauli weakly impressed. Propodeum mostly smooth and shining to microrugoreticulate, granulate, sub-shining. Ventral margin of petiolar peduncle straight. In side view, petiolar node broadly rounded, anterior surface longer than posterior surface, forming a mostly straight continuous to slightly curved profile with dorsal surface of petiolar peduncle. Dorsal surface of petiole smooth and shining with scattered punctures to microrugoreticulate, sub-shining. Postpetiole broader than long, dorsal surface mostly smooth, sub-shining to shining. Head, mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole with moderately abundant flexuous white hairs, often similar in length to MOD. Gastric tergites smooth and shining, hairs shorter and less dense than on rest of body. Head and mesosoma brownish-orange, gaster a lighter ferruginous orange (Figure 8). Type material: Holotype (worker) plus 27 paratypes. UNITED STATES: Arizona : Yuma Co.: 0.2 km S Tacna, 125 m (22 o 6.4 ’S 65 o 36.8 ’W), May 14, 2010, leg. R.A. Johnson # 4500. Nests were in Sonoran Desert habitat that was dominated by scattered individuals of Larrea tridentata and Ambrosia dumosa. The holotype is deposited in the MCZ. Paratypes (n = 27 workers) all from the same locality and date as the holotype and leg. R.A. Johnson # 4500 are distributed as follows: MCZ (6 w), LACM (3 w), UCDC (3 w), USNM (6 w), WPMC (3 w), RAJC (6 w). Additional paratype series (RAJC), collected on June 24, 2009, include RAJ # 4253 (6 w) and RAJ# 4255 (9 w): all series have additional workers in ethanol. Additional material examined. UNITED STATES: Arizona: Maricopa Co.: 12 mi E Sentinel, Jul 30, 1960, AC Cole AZ- 519 (26 w PARATYPES of P. magnacanthus, LACM). Mohave Co.: Golden Shores, Sep 5, 1995, RA Johnson RAJ# 691 (8 w, RAJC); 0.3 mi W Golden Shores, May 18, 2010, 620’, RA Johnson RAJ# 4490 (6 w, RAJC). Yuma Co.: I- 8 at Aztec Road, 490 ’, Apr 26, 2012, RA Johnson # 4919 (6 w, RAJC). California: Imperial Co.: Coyote Wells, Jul 29, 1957, AC Cole CAL- 305 (17 w, LACM); El Centro to Jacumba, Jul 10, 1956, AC Cole CAL- 11 (3 w PARATYPES of P. magnacanthus, LACM), CAL- 12 (3 w PARATYPES of P. magnacanthus, LACM); 14 mi W Winterhaven, Jul 28, 1959, AC Cole CAL- 334 A (6 w PARATYPES of P. magnacanthus, LACM); 15 mi E Holtville, Jul 27, 1961, AC Cole CAL- 394 (24 w PARATYPES of P. magnacanthus, LACM). Inyo Co.: Death Valley National Monument at Ashford Mill, 0’, Apr 28, 1952, WS Creighton no number (16 w, 5 aq, LACM), CR- 226 (10 w, 1 aq, 1m, LACM), CR- 417 (11 w, 1 aq, LACM), CR- 618 (15 w, 1 aq, 1m, LACM); Death Valley National Park, Spring 2000, KE Anderson KEA# 550 (3 w, RAJC); 9.05 km W Panamint Springs, 4450 ', May 30, 2006, RR Snelling #06-006 (1 w, RAJC); Riverside Co.: 21 mi E Indio, 1600 ’, Apr 8, 1952, WS Creighton CR- 324 (19 w PARATYPES of P. magnacanthus, LACM). San Bernardino Co.: Needles, May 1905, WM Wheeler (3 w, LACM); 3.5 mi N Pisgah Crater, 2270 ’, May 11, 2010, RA Johnson RAJ# 4488 (6 w, RAJC), RAJ# 4489 (6 w, RAJC); 5.5 mi NW Pisgah Crater, 1890 ’, May 4, 2010, RA Johnson RAJ# 4493 (3 w, RAJC), RAJ# 4494 (5 w, 1 aq, RAJC); I- 40 at Goffs Road, 2040 ’, Sep 16, 2011, RA Johnson RAJ# 4808 (6 w, RAJC). San Diego Co.: Anza Borrego State Park, Palm Canyon, Apr 17, 1952, WS Creighton CR- 559 (6 w, LACM); Ocotillo Well, Aug 8, 1960, AC Cole CAL- 366 (4 w PARATYPES of P. magnacanthus, LACM). Nevada: Clark Co.: 7 mi W Echo Bay, 1800 ’, Apr 5, 1976, G & J Wheeler NEV- 725 (3 w, LACM); 4 mi SW Riverside, 1500 ’, Apr 2, 1970, G & J Wheeler NEV# 707 (3 w, LACM); 5 km E Jean, Apr 26, 2009, 2780 ’, RA Johnson RAJ# 4222 (3 w, RAJC), RAJ# 4223 (3 w, RAJC); Valley of Fire, 2100 ’, Mar 14, 1970, G & J Wheeler NEV# 640 (3 w, LACM), NEV# 631 (3 w, LACM); Valley of Fire, 2000 ’, NEV# 645 (2 w, LACM); W base of Mormon Mesa, 1500 ’, Apr 3, 1970, G & J Wheeler NEV# 720 (3 w, LACM), NEV# 716 (3 w, LACM); 3 mi W Cottonwood Cove, 1200 ’, Dec 10, 1970, G & J Wheeler NEV- 1498 (3 w, LACM). Nye Co.: Mercury, Jul 11, 1961, # 5 AA 1 C (1 w, LACM), May 24, 1961, # 5 EA 7 C (1 w, LACM); Pahrump, spring 2000, KE Anderson KEA# 532 (3 w, RAJC); 2 mi N Pahrump, 2700 ’, Apr 4, 1970, G & J Wheeler NEV- 740 (2 w, LACM); Beatty, Jul 17, 1954, AC Cole, NEV- 374 (6 w, LACM), NEV- 375 (4 w, LACM), NEV- 376 (6 w, LACM), NEV- 377 (22 w, LACM), NEV- 380 (2 w, LACM); Hwy 95 at 4.0 mi NW Lathrop Wells, 2610 ’, Apr 17, 2009, RA Johnson RAJ# 4216 (6 w, RAJC), RAJ# 4217 (9 w, RAJC); Rock Valley, 9 mi ENE Lathrop Wells, Apr 14, 1970, G & J Wheeler, NEV- 781 (9 w, LACM). MEXICO: Baja California: Valle San Felipe, May 10, 1998, RA Johnson RAJ#BC 1376 (9 w, RAJC), RAJ#BC 1377 (9 w, RAJC). Sonora: Pinacate Desert, no date, 1982, IR López Moreno #F- 11 (2 w, LACM), #F- 16 (8 w, LACM); Puerto Peñasco, 50 ’, Jul 15, 1950, WS Creighton # 308 (30 w, LACM), # 304 (3 w, LACM); 11.5 mi E Puerto Peñasco, July 17, 2009, RA Johnson RAJ# 4274 (9 w, RAJC), RAJ# 4278 (3 w, RAJC), RAJ# 4281 (9 w, RAJC). Etymology. The specific epithet honors Prof. Dr. Bert Hölldobler, who was an “ant god” during the tenure of RAJ in graduate school and beyond—and who now is a good friend, colleague, collaborator, and supporter who is dedicated to understanding all aspects of ant biology. His continued child-like enthusiasm for learning about ants and his earnest interest in helping students invigorate all of those around him. Discussion. Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri is most likely to be confused with P. magnacanthus, especially given the large number of series that A.C. Cole erroneously identified as P. magnacanthus. The two species occur sympatrically in several locales. The significantly larger eye (MOD and OI) separates P. magnacanthus from P. hoelldobleri (Figures 2-3). OI is the best character to separate the two species because it is consistently higher for P. magnacanthus (OI = 27.22-33.61) than for P. h o e l l d o b l e r i (OI rarely> 27.50)(Figure 3). The malar ratio is usually 1.05 for P. hoelldobleri (Figure 3). Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri also occurs in sympatry with P. californicus and is likely to occur in sympatry with P. mohavensis, but it has a low likelihood of co-occurring with P. m a r i c o p a. Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri can be distinguished from P. mohavensis based on the following characters: (1) P. hoelldobleri has seven teeth, (2) the interrugal spaces on the pronotal shoulders are weakly to strongly punctate/granulate, dull to sub-shining, and (3) the cephalic rugae typically converge near the vertex. In P. mohavensis, the mandible has six teeth (a seventh sometimes occurs as a denticle between the basal and sub-basal teeth), interrugal spaces on the pronotal shoulders are smooth and shining, and the cephalic rugae extend more or less directly to the vertex or converge only slightly near the vertex. Two other P. californicus group species (P. anzensis and P. snellingi) also occur in the Sonoran and Mohave Deserts, but it is doubtful that P. hoelldobleri occurs sympatrically with either species; P. anzensis occurs in unproductive, rocky hillside habitats unlike any sites that are known to be occupied by P. hoelldobleri, while P. snellingi is well removed from the probable geographic distribution of P. hoelldobleri. Regardless, the absence of circumocular whorls separates P. hoelldobleri from both species.Published as part of Johnson, Robert A., Overson, Rick P. & Moreau, Corrie S., 2013, A New Species of Seed-harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex hoelldobleri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts of North America, pp. 201-227 in Zootaxa 3646 (3) on pages 213-217, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3646.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/22289