Arizona Road Trip Jan-Feb 2018 Part 8
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Arizona Road Trip Jan-Feb 2018 Part 8
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    Miscellaneous Images Taken In This Beautiful Area During Jan & Feb Of 2017!  
Miscellaneous Images (1)

Two Tramp Ants Of Urbanized Areas In Mesa, Arizona

Long-Horned Crazy Ant (Paratrechina)

 The long-horned crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis invaded Bioshere II at Oracle, Arizona. This genus is common around parking lot areas in motels and shopping centers throughout desert areas of California and Arizona. Specimen at left was photographed in isopropyl alcohol and does not show its natural black coloration.

Rover Ant (Brachymyrmex patagonicus) and Paratrechina

Above ants are common in urbanized areas of Mesa, Arizona (see next image).

Rock Inhabiting Fungi (RIF) In The Superstitions

The black coating is rock inhabiting fungus (RIF) & not desert varnish

This volcanic rock is coated with a black layer of RIF. It can be etched with difficulty.

Crustose lichens: Red Caloplaca & chartreuse Acarospora (Pleopsidium).

  See Fungus On Bare Rock In The Superstitions  
Wayne's Word Article About Desert Varnish

The Superstitions have a complex geologic history dating back more than 25 million years. They are composed of a variety of extrusive volcanic rocks including basalt, dacite, rhyolite, welded tuff, and porphyritic andesite (with plagioclase crystals of feldspar). The above sample contains some of the common rocks in the alluvial areas on western side of the Superstitions.

Foliose Lichen At Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

This gray foliose lichen is very common on massive formations of volcanic tuff (solidified volcanic ash). It appears to be a species of Xanthoparmelia.

Volcanic tuff (solidified volcanic ash) at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park.