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Iridomyrmex phillipensis
| Iridomyrmex phillipensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Dolichoderinae |
| Tribe: | Leptomyrmecini |
| Genus: | Iridomyrmex |
| Species: | I. phillipensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Iridomyrmex phillipensis Heterick & Shattuck, 2011
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This species is endemic to Phillip Island, situated about 10 km south of Norfolk Island, where all known specimens were collected by J. Feehan in March/April 1984, and I. Naumann & T. Weir in Nov. 1984. The dates suggest the ants were collected in pitfall traps, but further information is lacking.
Identification
Iridomyrmex phillipensis is reminiscent of an extremely hirsute Iridomyrmex suchieri, but the iridescent gaster and the nature of the protuberant propodeum suggest that its true affinities are more likely to lie with Iridomyrmex rufoniger and relatives. The nature of the propodeum separates this species from I. suchieri, the species with which it is most likely to be confused (some very hairy populations of I. ‘obscurus’), and also I. rufoniger.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
This is the only Iridomyrmex confined to territory outside of the Australian mainland, apart from the three species found on New Caledonia.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -29.11666667° to -29.119774°.
| 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.
- phillipensis. Iridomyrmex phillipensis Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 122, fig. 62 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Phillip I.).
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, Upper Long Valley, Phillip Island (near Norfolk Island), Australia, 29°7′0″S 167°57′0″E / 29.116667°S 167.95°E, 20–24 November 1984, I. D. Naumann & T. A. Weir, Ants Vial 39.166, ANIC32-038497, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 2 workers, Upper Long Valley, Phillip Island (near Norfolk Island), Australia, 29°7′0″S 167°57′0″E / 29.116667°S 167.95°E, 20–24 November 1984, I. D. Naumann & T. A. Weir, Ants Vial 39.166, ANIC32-038497, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 3 workers, Red Road Valley, Phillip Island (near Norfolk Island), Australia, 29°7′0″S 167°57′0″E / 29.116667°S 167.95°E, 26 March–2 April 1984, J. E. Feehan, ANIC32-038494, Australian National Insect Collection.
- Paratype, 3 workers, Upper Long Valley, Phillip Island (near Norfolk Island), Australia, 29°7′0″S 167°57′0″E / 29.116667°S 167.95°E, 26 March–2 April 1984, J. E. Feehan, Ants Vial 35.211, ANIC32-038494, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
- Paratype, 3 workers, Red Road & Whitewood Valleys, Phillip Island (near Norfolk Island), Australia, 29°7′0″S 167°57′0″E / 29.116667°S 167.95°E, 20-24 November 1984, I. D. Naumann & T. A. Weir, Ants Vial 39.164, ANIC32-038496, The Natural History Museum.
Description
Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head strongly 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. Number of ocelli one (a minute ocellus), position of obsolete ocelli indicated by small pits only or pits lacking, or ocelli absent; in full-face view, eyes set at about midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of head capsule; eye semi-circular. Frontal carinae convex; antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head by 1-2 x its diameter. Erect setae on scape present and abundant; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin present as an indistinct swelling or undulation; mandible regular triangular with oblique basal margin; long, curved setae on venter of head capsule absent. Mesosoma. Pronotum moderately and evenly curved over its length. Erect pronotal setae numerous (12 or more) and longest setae elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Mesonotum evenly curved. Erect mesonotal setae numerous (12 or more) and elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Mesothoracic spiracles always prominent as small, vertical protuberances; propodeal dorsum straight and short (equal in length to propodeal declivity); placement of propodeal spiracle posteriad and near propodeal declivity, or mesad, more than its diameter away from 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), short and bristly. Petiole. Dorsum of node convex; node thin, scale-like, orientation more-or-less vertical. 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 coppery brown to blackish- brown, with yellowish-green to faintly bluish iridescence on gaster. Colour of erect setae light brownish-yellow.
Measurements. Worker (n = 6)—CI 87–94; EI 23–26; EL 0.21–0.23; EW 0.16–0.18; HFL 1.07–1.26; HL 0.92–1.08; HW 0.82–1.00; ML 1.17–1.43; MTL 0.76–0.90; PpH 0.22–0.25; PpL 0.50–0.60; SI 94–100; SL 0.82– 0.95.
Etymology
The species is named after the island on which it was collected.
References
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- CSIRO Collection
- Heterick B. E., and S. Shattuck. 2011. Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2845: 1-174.