''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' is a species of ant in the

Dolichoderinae Dolichoderinae is a subfamily of ants, which includes species such as the Argentine ant (''Linepithema humile''), the erratic ant, the odorous house ant, and the cone ant. The subfamily presents a great diversity of species throughout the wor ...

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

, known as bicolored pyramid ant due to the two-toned body color and the shape of their mounds. ''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' was recently known as ''Conomyrma bicolor'' but has been renamed to ''Dorymyrmex bicolor''. It has a single petiole and a slit-like orifice which releases chemical compounds. This ant does not have the capability to sting. ''It'' is primarily found in arid desert regions in Central and South America and the southwestern United States.

Tool use

''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' regularly interacts with three different species of '' Myrmecocystus'', another genus of ants. Between the two

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

of ants, in the southwestern region, there is much overlap of food sources and space between ''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' and ''Myrmecocystus''. The ''Myrmecocystus'' ants secrete a substance from their poison gland onto a food source they find in order to repel other ants. ''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' exhibits a different type of interference behavior. The workers of ''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' will surround the entrance to a nest of ''Myrmecocystus'' and will drop stones and other objects down the entrance, in an attempt to block the entrance. As many as 10-30 workers of ''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' have been observed to drop stones in an opposing nest, but only 5 workers are required to drop stones and other small objects at an efficient rate that will affect the ''Myrmecocystu''s nest. The number of ''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' workers in an area will have a reducing effect on the number of ''Myrmecocystus'' workers in an area, sometimes to drastic effects.

Distribution

The known range of ''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' stretches from the Southwestern United States (California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma), northern and southern Mexico (including Baja California), El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Peru, Honduras, and a few Caribbean island nations (i.e. Jamaica).

Behavior

''Dorymyrmex bicolor'' has a primarily foraging focused behavior, because of this they are known to influence rates of seed germination and distribution in plants. They move quickly and are active from early to late afternoon. They build crater-shaped nests made of fine sand, as they primarily live in desert-like areas though they can live in areas with higher humidity levels.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q3912383 Dorymyrmex Hymenoptera of North America Fauna of California Insects of the United States Insects described in 1906 Tool-using animals