Salton Sea Part 3

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Salton Sea January 2015 Part 3

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Ants Of Dos Palmas Preserve (North Of Salton Sea)

Harvester ant nest (Messor pergandei).

The predominate seedless husks around the harvester ant nests (Messor pergandei) came from the abundant nearby saltbush, mostly Atriplex polycarpa.

More Ants & Nests At Dos Palmas Preserve

Pyramid ant nest (Dorymyrmex). Possibly D. insanus.

Another Species Of Fire Ant At Dos Palmas Preserve

Desert fire ants (Solenopsis) with red gaster. Possibly S. amblychila or S. aurea. The common fire ants (S. xyloni) in San Diego County have black gasters. The introduced South American fire ant (S. invicta) also has a black gaster. See following two magnified images:

Magnified view of fire ant (Solenopsis) with red gaster from Dos Palmas Oasis. According to James Trager the above images may be Solenopsis aurea rather than S. amblychila. They appear to have the distinct clypeal teeth and clypeal ridge characteristic of S. aurea.

Microscope view of fire ant (Solenopsis) with orange-red gaster from Dos Palmas Oasis. According to James Trager the above images may be Solenopsis aurea rather than S. amblychila. This image confirms the S. aurea identity according to the "Texas Fire Ant Indentification & Illustrated Key" (2002) by Jerry L. Cook (Stephen F. Austin University), Sean T. O'Keefe and S. Bradleigh Vinson (Texas A & M University).

See Native Fire Ant On Owens Peak

Harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex). Probably P. californicus.

Miniature Cone Shells

The sandy ground around San Andreas Oasis contains a myriad of minute snail shells, evidence that this land was once covered by water. Ancient Lake Cahuilla once filled the Salton Basin and extended from the present-day city of Indio south to El Centro and Mexicali. The round objects shaped like M & Ms are jackrabbit droppings.

The sandy ground around San Andreas Oasis contains a myriad of minute snail shells, evidence that this land was once covered by water. The following is from Wikipedia: "Lake Cahuilla was an extensive freshwater lake that filled the Coachella, Imperial, and Mexicali valleys of southeastern California and northeastern Baja California during the centuries prior to Spanish entry into the region. Lake Cahuilla was created when the lower Colorado River shifted its course within its delta. Instead of flowing directly south to the head of the Gulf of California, the river's waters were diverted northwest into the Salton Basin, the base of which lay about 260 ft below sea level."