Pogonomyrmex colei
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogonomyrmex_colei
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Pogonomyrmex colei faces significant pressure from urban development and agricultural expansion across its limited range in the southwestern United States. The species' specialized nesting requirements and dependence on specific seed resources make it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that affect the desert plant communities this harvester ant depends upon for food.
Habitat
This harvester ant species inhabits arid and semi-arid desert scrublands and grasslands of the southwestern United States, typically in areas with sandy or gravelly soils suitable for nest construction. The species shows preference for open areas with scattered shrubs and diverse seed-producing plants that form the basis of their granivorous diet.
Other threatened species in FORMICIDAE
Threatened in United States
Frequently asked questions
Why is Pogonomyrmex colei classified as Vulnerable?
Where does Pogonomyrmex colei live?
What are the main threats to Pogonomyrmex colei?
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