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Veromessor pergandei is a species of harvester ant native to the Southwestern United States, especially the deserts of southeastern California. It has also been identified in the Baja California peninsula of Mexico.[1] It was first described by Gustav Mayr, who named it Aphaenogaster pergandei.[2][3] It can also be referred to as a black harvester ant or desert harvester ant, although these common names have also been applied to other species.[4][5]
| Veromessor pergandei | |
|---|---|
 | |
| V. pergandei worker from the United States | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Genus: | Veromessor |
| Species: | V. pergandei |
| Binomial name | |
| Veromessor pergandei (Mayr, 1886) | |
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V. pergandei has a head of equal length and width, with very large mandibles. It has short white or yellow hair and a large thorax. Males typically measure about 8.5 mm (0.33 in) and females about 10 mm (0.39 in).[1] However, individual size can vary based on factors such as availability of food and interspecific competition. The species is named after American myrmecologist Theodore Pergande.[6] The genus was for some time synonymized under Messor but has been split out based on a 2015 study.[7]
nest mound
worker
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Like other harvester ants, V. pergandei gathers fruits and seeds for food. The seeds of perennial shrubs such as Larrea tridentata and Ambrosia dumosa are included in its diet.[8]
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