Iridomyrmex adstringatus

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Iridomyrmex adstringatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Tribe: Leptomyrmecini
Genus: Iridomyrmex
Species: I. adstringatus
Binomial name
Iridomyrmex adstringatus
Heterick & Shattuck, 2011

Iridomyrmex adstringatus side view

Iridomyrmex adstringatus top view

I. adstringatus is rare and has only been collected in South Australia. Most specimens have come from the Coorong district.

Identification

Iridomyrmex adstringatus is a close relative of Iridomyrmex calvus characterised by its small size (HW ≤ 0.85mm), hairy mesosoma and hind tibiae and matte sculpture.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -29.764377° to -36.4°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • adstringatus. Iridomyrmex adstringatus Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 36, fig. 7 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Types. Holotype worker from Coolatoo, Coorong, South Australia, 12 October 1975, P. J. M. Greenslade (Australian National Insect Collection, ANIC32-042656). Paratypes: 1 worker from Salt Creek, Coorong, South Australia, 11 November 1972, P. J. M. Greenslade (Australian National Insect Collection, ANIC32-042658); 1 worker from 5km W Mt. Rough, Coorong-Keith, South Australia, 25 October 1972, P. J. M. Greenslade (Museum of Comparative Zoology, ANIC32-042657).

Description

Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head planar to weakly concave; erect setae on posterior margin in full-face view set in a row; sides of head noticeably convex; erect genal setae present on sides of head in full- face view. Ocelli absent; in full-face view, eyes set at about midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of head capsule; eye asymmetrical, curvature of inner eye margin more pronounced than that of its outer margin. Frontal carinae concave; antennal scape barely attaining posterior margin of head, or surpassing it by less than 1 x its diameter. Erect setae on scape present and abundant; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin present as an indistinct swelling or undulation; mandible elongate triangular with oblique basal margin; long, curved setae on venter of head capsule present. Mesosoma. Pronotum moderately and evenly curved over its length. Erect pronotal setae moderate in number (6–12), longest setae elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Mesonotum straight. Erect mesonotal setae moderate in number (6–12), short and bristly. Mesothoracic spiracles always prominent as small, vertical protuberances; propodeal dorsum smoothly and evenly convex; placement of propodeal spiracle posteriad and near propodeal declivity; propodeal angle present as a bluntly defined right angle, the dorsal and declivitous propodeal faces never separated by a carina. Erect propodeal setae numerous (12 or more) and elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Petiole. Dorsum of node convex; node thin, scale-like, orientated anteriad. Gaster. Non-marginal erect setae of gaster present on first gastral tergite; marginal erect setae of gaster present on first tergite. General characters. Allometric differences between workers of same nest absent. Colour frons, upper genae, legs and gaster brown, mesosoma and legs mainly orange with some darker, brownish areas.

Measurements. Worker (n = 2)—CI 91-92; EI 28-29; EL 0.23-0.25; EW 0.18-0.21; HFL 0.92-1.00; HL 0.90- 0.94; HW 0.82-0.87; ML 1.22-1.26; MTL 0.69-0.73; PpH 0.18-0.18; PpL 0.53-0.53; SI 84-85; SL 0.69-0.74.

Etymology. Latin: ‘adstringatus’ meaning ‘compressed’ or ‘drawn together’, referring to the chunky, compact appearance of the worker.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Heterick B. E., and S. Shattuck. 2011. Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2845: 1-174.