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Iridomyrmex cyaneus
| Iridomyrmex cyaneus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dolichoderinae |
| Tribe: | Leptomyrmecini |
| Genus: | Iridomyrmex |
| Species: | I. cyaneus |
| Binomial name | |
| Iridomyrmex cyaneus Wheeler, W.M., 1915
| |
Iridomyrmex cyaneus is an ant of the dry, desert regions of the Australian interior, and has been recorded from Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales. It has been collected in pitfall traps in mulga woodland over calcrete (Western Australia), but otherwise there are no ecological data on labels or in the original description.
Identification
This striking little species cannot be mistaken for any other Iridomyrmex, its truncate and sharply declivitous propodeum and its metallic blue or pinkish sheen being a unique combination for the genus. Indeed, their iridescence, their compact form and their narrow node can lead to workers being mistaken for Ochetellus. However, they are distinguished from that genus by the clypeal protuberance and the more posterior position of the eyes on the head capsule. As regards other Iridomyrmex, the more extreme morphologies in I. difficilis, probably the species most closely related to this ant, strongly resemble those of I. cyaneus, but iridescence of any sort is always lacking in the former taxon.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -24.89999962° to -32.06667°.
| 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. |
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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.
- cyaneus. Iridomyrmex cyaneus Wheeler, W.M. 1915g: 812 (w.) AUSTRALIA. See also: Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 71.
Type Material
- Syntype, 1 worker (Wheeler 1915:812), Flat Rock Hole (as Black Rock Hole), Musgrave Ranges, South Australia, Australia, South Australian Museum.
- Syntype, 1 worker (Wheeler 1915:812), Moorilyanna, South Australia, Australia, South Australian Museum.
Description
Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head weakly concave; erect setae on posterior margin absent; sides of head noticeably convex; erect genal setae absent from sides of head in full-face view (one to a few small setae may be present near mandibular insertion). 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 convex; antennal scape barely attaining posterior margin of head, or surpassing it by less than 1 x its diameter. Erect setae on scape absent, except at tip; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin present as an indistinct swelling or undulation; mandible regularly triangular with oblique basal margin; long, curved setae on venter of head capsule absent. Mesosoma. Pronotum strongly inclined anteriorly. Erect pronotal setae lacking or very minute (one or two tiny setae may be present). Mesonotum evenly curved. Erect mesonotal setae lacking or very minute (one or two tiny setae present). Mesothoracic spiracles always inconspicuous; propodeal dorsum protuberant; placement of propodeal spiracle posteriad and near propodeal declivity; propodeal angle present as sharply defined angle, the dorsal and declivitous propodeal faces often separated by a carina. Erect propodeal setae lacking or very minute (one or two tiny setae present). Petiole. Dorsum of node convex; node thin, scale-like, orientation more-or-less vertical. Gaster. Non-marginal erect setae of gaster absent on first gastral tergite; marginal erect setae of gaster absent on first tergite. General characters. Allometric differences between workers of same nest absent. Colour uniformly brown to black, with bluish to pink iridescence throughout. Erect setae completely absent from almost all specimens seen.
Measurements. Worker (n = 5)—CI 88–94; EI 25–28; EL 0.17–0.19; EW 0.14–0.15; HFL 0.73–0.84; HL 0.71–0.84; HW 0.63–0.75; ML 0.82–1.00; MTL 0.51–0.62; PpH 0.11–0.15; PpL 0.34–0.44; SI 80–86; SL 0.54– 0.62.
References
- Heterick, B.E. & Shattuck, S.O. 2011. Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2845: 1-175.
- 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, W. M. 1915h. Hymenoptera. [In "Scientific notes on an expedition into the north-western regions of South Australia".]. Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 39: 805-823 (page 812, worker described)
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.