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Anonychomyrma itinerans ballaratensis
| Anonychomyrma itinerans ballaratensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dolichoderinae |
| Tribe: | Leptomyrmecini |
| Genus: | Anonychomyrma |
| Species: | A. itinerans |
| Subspecies: | A. itinerans ballaratensis |
| Trinomial name | |
| Anonychomyrma itinerans ballaratensis (Forel, 1902) | |
Identification
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Countries Occupied
| Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species. |
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Estimated Abundance
| Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species. |
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Biology
Anonychomyrma species are common in moist to semi-arid forested areas (and are less common in rain forests). They nest either in soil with or without coverings, or arboreally in living or dead wood. Workers forage in conspicuous trails on the ground and on tree trunks. Although not studied in detail, they seem to be general predators and also collect plant juices. Some species are associated with the caterpillars of selected butterflies. Nest sizes are moderate to large, ranging from 500 to tens of thousands of workers. When disturbed, most species elevate their gasters and release strong, acrid smelling chemicals as a defensive measure. While similar to Iridomyrmex in general habitat preferences and ecology, most Anonychomyrma prefer moister sites and are predominately arboreal. Iridomyrmex species occur in drier sites and are predominantly terrestrial.
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- ballaratensis. Iridomyrmex itinerans var. ballaratensis Forel, 1902h: 472 (w.m.) AUSTRALIA (Victoria).
- Type-material: syntype workers, syntype males (numbers not stated).
- [Note: Shattuck, 1994: 6, cites 1w, 3m syntypes MHNG.]
- Type-locality: Australia: Victoria, Ballarat (W.W. Froggatt).
- Type-depository: MHNG.
- Combination in Anonychomyrma: Shattuck, 1992a: 13.
- Subspecies of itinerans: Emery, 1913a: 25; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 100; Taylor, 1987a: 32; Shattuck, 1994: 6; Bolton, 1995b: 66.
- Distribution: Australia.
Type Material
- Iridomyrmex itinerans ballaratensis Forel, 1902: Syntype, 1 worker, 3 males, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
Description
References
- Forel, A. 1902j. Fourmis nouvelles d'Australie. Rev. Suisse Zool. 10: 405-548 (page 472, worker, male described)
- Shattuck, S. O. 1992a. Review of the dolichoderine ant genus Iridomyrmex Mayr with descriptions of three new genera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 31: 13-18 (page 13, combination in Anonychomyrma)
- Taylor, R. W.; Brown, D. R. 1985. Formicoidea. Zool. Cat. Aust. 2:1- 149: 1-149, 30 (page 100, subspecies of itinerans)