Myrmecia occidentalis

Myrmecia occidentalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmeciinae
Tribe:	Myrmeciini
Genus:	Myrmecia
Species:	M. occidentalis
Binomial name
Myrmecia occidentalis (Clark, 1943) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Promyrmecia opaca Clark, 1943

Myrmecia occidentalis is widespread throughout the SWBP. This ant is particularly common in the Kwongan sand-plain north of Perth, where it can often be seen foraging on vegetation. (Heterick 2009)

Identification

Keys including this Species

• Key to Australian Myrmecia Species
• Key to Myrmecia of the southwestern Australian Botanical Province

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -28.7° to -33.86666489°.

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.

Castes

• The following images are provided by AntWeb
• 

Nomenclature

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

• occidentalis. Promyrmecia occidentalis Clark, 1943: 119, pl. 13, figs. 30, 31 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens (numbers not stated).
  • Type-localities: Australia: Western Australia, Tammin (J. Clark), Western Australia, Eradu (J. Clark), Western Australia, Merridin (L.J. Newman), Western Australia, Beverley (E. du Boulay).
  • Type-depository: MVMA.
  • Combination in Myrmecia: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 13.
  • Status as species: Clark, 1951: 218 (redescription); Taylor & Brown, 1985: 13; Taylor, 1987a: 45; Ogata, 1991a: 361; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1641 (in key), 1663; Bolton, 1995b: 272; Heterick, 2009: 123.
  • Senior synonym of opaca: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1663; Bolton, 1995b: 272.
  • Distribution: Australia.
• opaca. Promyrmecia opaca Clark, 1943: 123, pl. 14, figs. 46, 47 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens (numbers not stated).
  • Type-localities: Australia: Western Australia, Tammin (J. Clark), Western Australia, Eradu (J. Clark), Western Australia, Dowerin (L.J. Newman).
  • Type-depository: MVMA.
  • Combination in Myrmecia: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 13.
  • Status as species: Clark, 1951: 224 (redescription); Taylor & Brown, 1985: 13; Taylor, 1987a: 45; Ogata, 1991a: 361.
  • Junior synonym of occidentalis: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1663; Bolton, 1995b: 272.

Type Material

• Promyrmecia occidentalis: Syntype, 1 worker, 1 queen, Eradu, Western Australia, Australia, Clark,J., ANIC32-017873, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Promyrmecia occidentalis: Syntype, 2 workers, Beverley, Western Australia, Australia, du Boulay,E.F., ANIC32-017874, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Promyrmecia occidentalis: Syntype, 2 workers (1 missing head and gaster), Beverley, Western Australia, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
• Promyrmecia occidentalis: Syntype, 2 workers, Merredin, Western Australia, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
• Promyrmecia occidentalis: Syntype, worker(s), queen(s), Tammin, Eradu, Merredin, and Beverley, Western Australia, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.
• Promyrmecia opaca: Syntype, 1 worker, 1 queen, Tammin, Western Australia, Australia, Clark,J., ANIC32-017875, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Promyrmecia opaca: Syntype, worker(s), queen(s), Tammin, Eradu and Dowerin, Western Australia, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.

Description

Karyotype

• 2n = 64 (Australia) (Hirai et al., 1996).

References

• Clark, J. 1943. A revision of the genus Promyrmecia Emery (Formicidae). Mem. Natl. Mus. Vic. 13: 83-149 (page 119, pl. 13, figs. 30, 31 worker, queen 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).
• Ogata, K.; Taylor, R. W. 1991. Ants of the genus Myrmecia Fabricius: a preliminary review and key to the named species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmeciinae). J. Nat. Hist. 2 25: 1623-1673 (page 1663, Senior synonym of opaca)
• Taylor, R. W.; Brown, D. R. 1985. Formicoidea. Zool. Cat. Aust. 2:1- 149: 1-149, 30 (page 13, Combination in Myrmecia)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Ogata K. and Taylor R.W. 1991. Ants of the genus Myrmecia Fabricius: a preliminary review and key to the named species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmeciinae), Journal of Natural History, 25: 1623-1673