Heteroponera imbellis

Heteroponera imbellis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ectatomminae
Tribe:	Heteroponerini
Genus:	Heteroponera
Species:	H. imbellis
Binomial name
	Heteroponera imbellis; (Emery, 1895) Specimen Label
Synonyms
	Acanthoponera imbellis scabra Wheeler, W.M., 1923; Acanthoponera nigra Clark, 1930; Acanthoponera occidentalis Clark, 1926; Ectatomma imbellis hilare Forel, 1895;

Identification

Identification Keys including this Taxon

Key to Australian Heteroponera Species

Distribution

Heterick (2009) - Heteroponera imbellis has a broad distribution on Australia’s east coast. In Western Australia it is most common in the wetter south-west, but there is at least one goldfields record (Kambalda). This species has also been collected in suburban Perth and on Rottnest Island.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.98333333° to -36.99166°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

imbellis. Acanthoponera imbellis Emery, 1895g: 346 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
- Type-material: holotype worker.
- Type-locality: Australia: Queensland, Kamerunga (Podenzana).
- Type-depository: MSNG.
- Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 447 (l.).
- Combination in A. (Anacanthoponera): Wheeler, W.M. 1923e: 179;
- combination in Heteroponera: Brown, in Borgmeier, 1957: 112.
- Status as species: Emery, 1911d: 36; Forel, 1915b: 10; Wheeler, W.M. 1923e: 179; Clark, 1928c: 39; Clark, 1938: 362; Brown, 1958g: 195, 261; Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971b: 1200; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212; Heterick, 2009: 142.
- Senior synonym of hilare: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.
- Senior synonym of nigra: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.
- Senior synonym of occidentalis: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.
- Senior synonym of scabra: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.
- Distribution: Australia.
hilare. Ectatomma (Acanthoponera) imbellis var. hilare Forel, 1895f: 421 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
- Type-locality: Australia: Queensland, Mackay (G. Turner).
- Type-depository: MHNG.
- Combination in Acanthoponera: Emery, 1911d: 36;
- combination in A. (Anacanthoponera): Wheeler, W.M. 1923e: 180.
- Subspecies of imbellis: Wheeler, W.M. 1923e: 180
- Junior synonym of imbellis: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.
nigra. Acanthoponera nigra Clark, 1930c: 6 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Victoria).
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
- Type-locality: Australia: Victoria, Grampians, Mt William (J. Clark).
- Type-depository: MVMA.
- Junior synonym of imbellis: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.
occidentalis. Acanthoponera occidentalis Clark, 1926: 47, pl. 6, fig. 3 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
- Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “a small colony”).
- Type-locality: Australia: Western Australia, National Park (J. Clark).
- Type-depository: MVMA.
- Status as species: Wheeler, W.M. 1934d: 140.
- Junior synonym of imbellis: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.
scabra. Acanthoponera (Anacanthoponera) imbellis var. scabra Wheeler, W.M. 1923e: 181 (w.) AUSTRALIA (New South Wales).
- Type-material: 3 syntype workers.
- Type-locality: Australia: New South Wales, Sydney (A.M. Lea).
- Type-depository: MCZC.
- Junior synonym of imbellis: Brown, 1958g: 196; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 30; Taylor, 1987a: 28; Bolton, 1995b: 212.

Type Material

Acanthoponera (Anacanthoponera) imbellis scabra: Syntype, 1 worker, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Acanthoponera imbellis: Holotype, worker, Kamerunga, Queensland, Australia, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa.
Acanthoponera nigra: Syntype, worker(s), Mt. William, Grampians, Victoria, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.
Acanthoponera occidentalis: Syntype, 1 worker, Mundaring, Western Australia, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.
Acanthoponera occidentalis: Syntype, worker(s), John Forrest Nat. Park (as National Park), Western Australia, Australia.
Ectatomma (Acanthoponera) imbellis hilare: Syntype, worker(s) (probable), Mackay, Queensland, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.

Description

References

Borgmeier, T. 1957a. Myrmecologische Studien, I. An. Acad. Bras. Cienc. 29: 103-128 (page 112, Combination in Heteroponera: Brown)
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1958g. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. II. Tribe Ectatommini (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 118: 173-362 (page 196, Senior synonym of hilare, nigra, occidentalis and scabra)
Emery, C. 1895h. Descriptions de quelques fourmis nouvelles d'Australie. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 39: 345-358 (page 346, worker described)
Heterick, B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of South-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 76:1-206.
Heterick, B.E. 2021. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part I: Systematics. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 86, 1-245 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2021.001-245).
Heterick, B.E. 2022. A guide to the ants of Western Australia. Part II: Distribution and biology. Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement 86: 247-510 (doi:10.18195/issn.0313-122x.86.2022.247-510).
Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1964b. The ant larvae of the subfamily Ponerinae: supplement. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 57: 443-462 (page 447, larva described)
Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1971b. Ant larvae of the subfamily Ponerinae: second supplement. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 6 64: 1197-1217 (page 1200, see also)
Wheeler, W. M. 1923f. Ants of the genera Myopias and Acanthoponera. Psyche (Camb.) 30: 175-192 (page 179, Combination in A. (Anacanthoponera))

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Clark J. 1930. New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (n.s.)43: 2-25.
Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
Heterick B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 76: 1-206.
Taylor R. W. 1987. A checklist of the ants of Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Division of Entomology Report 41: 1-92.