Iridomyrmex tenuiceps

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

Iridomyrmex tenuiceps is widespread across the Torresian zone of Australia (northern Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland), and its known range does not extend beyond Australian territories. Specimens have been collected in pitfall traps, but nothing more is known of the ecology of the species.

Identification

Iridomyrmex tenuiceps is the sister taxon to Iridomyrmex angusticeps, but is glabrous.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Iridomyrmex species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -10.76667° to -18.78333282°.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• tenuiceps. Iridomyrmex tenuiceps Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 149, fig. 79 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Types. Holotype worker from Lizard Island, Queensland, 19 February1992, H. Reichel (Australian National Insect Collection, ANIC32-03995 1). Paratypes: 5 workers, same data as holotype (Australian National Insect Collection, 2 worker; The Natural History Museum, 1 workers; Museum of Comparative Zoology, 2 workers); 2 workers, same data as holotype except 22 February 1992 (Australian National Insect Collection, ANIC32-039953).

Description

Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head strongly convex; erect setae on posterior margin absent; sides of head straight or weakly 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 semi-circular, or asymmetrical, curvature of inner eye margin more pronounced than that of its outer margin. Frontal carinae straight; antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head by 0.2-0.5 x its length. Erect setae on scape absent, except at tip; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin projecting as triangular spur; mandible elongate triangular with oblique basal margin; long, curved setae on venter of head capsule absent. Mesosoma. Pronotum weakly undulant or almost straight. Erect pronotal setae lacking or very minute (one or two tiny setae may be present). Mesonotum straight. Erect mesonotal setae lacking or very minute (one or two tiny setae present). Mesothoracic spiracles always inconspicuous; propodeal dorsum straight and long (half as long again as length of propodeal declivity); placement of propodeal spiracle mesad, more than its diameter away from propodeal declivity; propodeal angle weakly present or absent, the confluence of the dorsal and declivitous propodeal faces indicated, if at all, by an undulation. Erect propodeal setae lacking or very minute (one or two tiny setae present). Petiole. Dorsum of node convex; node thin, scale-like, orientated anteriad. Gaster. Non-marginal erect setae of gaster present or absent on first gastral tergite; marginal erect setae of gaster present on first tergite, or absent on first tergite. General characters. Allometric differences between workers of same nest absent. Colour grey-brown with coppery sheen, clypeal region and lower genae orange. Colour of erect setae pale yellow.

Measurements. Worker (n = 7)—CI 64–70; EI 40–42; EL 0.25–0.28; EW 0.20–0.21; HFL 1.46–1.74; HL 0.90–1.03; HW 0.60–0.66; ML 1.25–1.39; MTL 1.06–1.22; PpH 0.13–0.15; PpL 0.47–0.53; SI 154–175; SL 1.00– 1.15.

Etymology

Latin: ‘tenuis’ ‘slender’ plus ‘ceps’, derivative of ‘caput’—‘head’, referring to the slender head of the species.

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).

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.