Ochetellus flavipes

Ochetellus flavipes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dolichoderinae
Tribe:	Leptomyrmecini
Genus:	Ochetellus
Species:	O. flavipes
Binomial name
Ochetellus flavipes (Kirby, W.F., 1896) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910

This species is arid adapted and nests in spinifex, using the resin to build tunnels between nests and foraging areas. This was known to the local aboriginal people who collected the resin and used it as a binding agent.

Photo Gallery

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  Ochetellus flavipes worker found near Pannawonica, Western Australia. Photo by Farhan Bokhari, 9 july 2012.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 22.5045° to -22.7011°.

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.

• flavipes. Hypoclinea flavipes Kirby, W.F. 1896: 206 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Iridomyrmex: Clark, 1930b: 268; Clark, 1930c: 21; in Ochetellus: Shattuck, 1992a: 17. Senior synonym of rostrinotus: Clark, 1930b: 268; Clark, 1930c: 21.
• rostrinotus. Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910b: 53 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of flavipes: Clark, 1930b: 268; Clark, 1930c: 21.

Type Material

• Hypoclinea flavipes Kirby, 1896: Syntype, 3 workers, Temple Downs, Northern Territory, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Hypoclinea flavipes Kirby, 1896: Syntype, 1 worker, Temple Downs, Northern Territory, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.
• Hypoclinea flavipes Kirby, 1896: Syntype, 3 workers, Temple Downs, Northern Territory, Australia, Western Australian Museum.
• Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910: Syntype, 1 worker, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, Field,J.F., ANIC32-015049, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910: Syntype, 2 workers, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, Field,J.F., ANIC32-015059, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910: Syntype, 1 worker, 1 male (missing petiole and gaster), Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910: Syntype, 2 workers, 3 queens, 4 males, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
• Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910: Syntype, 2 queens, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, Museum Victoria, Melbourne.
• Iridomyrmex rostrinotus Forel, 1910: Syntype, 3 workers (1 damaged), Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia, South Australian Museum.

References

• Clark, J. 1930b. The Australian ants of the genus Dolichoderus (Formicidae). Sugenus Hypoclinea Mayr. Aust. Zool. 6: 252-268 (page 268, Senior synonym of rostrinotus)
• Clark, J. 1930b. The Australian ants of the genus Dolichoderus (Formicidae). Sugenus Hypoclinea Mayr. Aust. Zool. 6: 252-268 (page 26821, Combination in Iridomyrmex)
• Clark, J. 1930c. New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species. Proc. R. Soc. Vic. (n.s.) 43: 2-25 (page 21, Combination in Iridomyrmex)
• Clark, J. 1930c. New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species. Proc. R. Soc. Vic. (n.s.) 43: 2-25 (page 21, Senior synonym of rostrinotus)
• 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).
• Kirby, W. F. 1896. Supplement to the Zoological Report. Hymenoptera. Pp. 203-209 in: Spencer, B. (ed.) Report on the work of the Horn Scientific Expedition to central Australia. Part 1. London: Dulau and Co., xviii + 220 pp. (page 206, worker described)
• Majer, J.D., Castalanelli, M.A., Ledger, J.L., Gunawardene, N.R., Heterick, B.E. 2018. Sequencing the ant fauna of a small island: Can metagenomic analysis enable faster identification for routine ant surveys? Sociobiology 65, 422-432 (doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v65i3.2885).
• Shattuck, S. O. 1992a. Review of the dolichoderine ant genus Iridomyrmex Mayr with descriptions of three new genera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Aust. Entomol. Soc. 31: 13-18 (page 17, Combination in Ochetellus)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Heterick B. E. 2013. A taxonomic overview and key to the ants of Barrow Island, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 83: 375-404.
• Heterick B. E., B. Durrant, and N. R. Gunawardene. 2010. The ant fauna of the Pilbara Bioregion, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 78: 157-167.
• Shattuck S. O. 1994. Taxonomic catalog of the ant subfamilies Aneuretinae and Dolichoderinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of California Publications in Entomology 112: i-xix, 1-241.
• Taylor R. W. 1987. A checklist of the ants of Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Division of Entomology Report 41: 1-92.
• Taylor R. W., and D. R. Brown. 1985. Formicoidea. Zoological Catalogue of Australia 2: 1-149.