Pogonomyrmex carbonarius

This species can be common along the sides of roads in northern Patagonia. Nest entrances are exposed, and built in an open area, with no vegetation surrounding the nest. Workers were relatively abundant and conspicuous on the ground. (N. Kusnezov).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina.

Biology
Aput et al. (2019) assessed how prevelant introduced plant seeds were in the diet of this seed harvester. A field trial showed the ants foraged in two daily bouts (morning and evening), and introduced species made up a small percentage of the seeds they gathered. Pogonomyrmex carbonarius foragers showed a clear preference for the native grass Pappostipa speciosa (Trin. & Rupr.) in preference trials that included both native and introduced plant seeds.

Nomenclature

 *  carbonarius. Pogonomyrmex carbonarius Mayr, 1868b: 172 (w.) ARGENTINA.
 * Junior synonym of rastratus: Mayr, 1887: 611; Dalla Torre, 1893: 119.
 * Revived from synonymy as subspecies of rastratus: Emery, 1906c: 157; Gallardo, 1932b: 136.
 * Revived status as species: Kusnezov, 1951a: 251; Johnson, 2021: 57.
 * kusnezovi. Pogonomyrmex kusnezovi Cuezzo & Claver, 2009: 105, figs. 3, 4 (w.) ARGENTINA.
 * Junior synonym of carbonarius: Johnson, 2021: 57.
 * variabilis. Pogonomyrmex vermiculatus var. variabilis Santschi, 1916b: 511 (w.m.) ARGENTINA.
 * Raised to species: Kusnezov, 1951a: 253.
 * Junior synonym of carbonarius: Johnson, 2021: 57.
 * neuquensis. Pogonomyrmex weiseri var. neuquensis Santschi, 1922d: 243 (w.) ARGENTINA.
 * Junior synonym of rastratus: Kusnezov, 1951a: 252.
 * Junior synonym of carbonarius: Johnson, 2021: 57.

Taxonomic Notes
Cuezzo & Claver (2009), discussing Pogonomyrmex kusnezovi - Scape short (SI: 62-66), longitudinally striated, with suberect hairs, without pubescence. Clypeal area between frontal lobes with 3-4 rugae always present. Upper propodeal spine short and stout, connected by conspicuous keel to contralateral tooth. Lower propodeal spine present, triangular and well developed. This species is close to Pogonomyrmex andinus from which it can be differentiated by the following characters: CI: 101-103. P. kusnezovi is larger than P. andinus, with shorter scape, and darker body. The development of the upper and lower propodeal spine is another useful character to distinguish both species.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bruch C. 1914. Catálogo sistemático de los formícidos argentinos. Revista del Museo de La Plata 19: 211-234.
 * Cuezzo, F. 1998. Formicidae. Chapter 42 in Morrone J.J., and S. Coscaron (dirs) Biodiversidad de artropodos argentinos: una perspectiva biotaxonomica Ediciones Sur, La Plata. Pages 452-462.
 * Gallardo A. 1932. Las hormigas de la República Argentina. Subfamilia Mirmicinas, segunda sección Eumyrmicinae, tribu Myrmicini (F. Smith), género Pogonomyrmex Mayr. Anales del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Buenos Aires 37: 89-170.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Kusnezov N. 1951. El género Pogonomyrmex Mayr (Hym., Formicidae). Acta Zoologica Lilloana 11: 227-333.
 * Kusnezov N. 1960. La fauna de hormigas en el oeste de la Patagonia y Tierra del Fuego. Acta Zoologica Lilloana 17: 321-401.
 * Kusnezov N. 1978. Hormigas argentinas: clave para su identificación. Miscelánea. Instituto Miguel Lillo 61:1-147 + 28 pl.
 * Santschi F. 1916. Descriptions de fourmis nouvelles d'Afrique et d'Amérique. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 84: 497-513.
 * Santschi F. 1922. Myrmicines, dolichodérines et autres formicides néotropiques. Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 54: 345-378.