Pogonomyrmex comanche is a rare harvester ant that has been historically recorded from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas. Its geographical range currently appears to be restricted to a few disjunct regions of central Texas. This species now appears to be restricted to regions of deep sands that are lightly disturbed. The reasons for its diminished distribution is unknown, but appears to be closely related to altered habitats and the encroachment of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta . The current populations are relatively small and the species may be in danger of extinction. However, a conservation project has been underway for the last four years, and colony numbers have been slowly recovering at one site, near Bastrop, Texas. The distribution of colonies at this study site are documented and analyzed in the context of its interaction with different colonies of its own species and colonies of another harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Formicidae Pogonomyrmex comanche
Keywords: habitat, spatial distribution
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