Rhytidoponera tasmaniensis

Rhytidoponera tasmaniensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ectatomminae
Tribe:	Ectatommini
Genus:	Rhytidoponera
Species:	R. tasmaniensis
Binomial name
Rhytidoponera tasmaniensis Emery, 1898 Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Ectatomma metallicum cristulatum Forel, 1900

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -27.43333° to -42.639465°.

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

A colony was sampled near Bateman's Bay, NSW. Seven workers dissected had 4-7 ovarioles, including one gamergate (C. Peeters, unpublished)

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Rhytidoponera metallica tasmaniensis. Worker. Specimen code casent0903828. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Syntype of Ectatomma metallicum cristulatum. Worker. Specimen code casent0907157. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

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

• tasmaniensis. Rhytidoponera metallica var. tasmaniensis Emery, 1898b: 232 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Tasmania).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “several”).
  • Type-locality: Australia: Tasmania (C. Bicknell).
  • Type-depositories: ANIC, MSNG.
  • Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 449 (l.); Crozier, 1969: 241 (k.).
  • Subspecies of metallica: Emery, 1911d: 39; Emery, 1912a: 79; Clark, 1934c: 58.
  • Status as species: Brown, 1958g: 205; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 48; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 381.
  • Senior synonym of cristulatum: Brown, 1958g: 205, 277; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 48; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 381.
  • Distribution: Australia.
• cristulatum. Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum var. cristulatum Forel, 1900b: 59 (w.) AUSTRALIA (no state data).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: Australia: (no further data) (Froggatt).
  • Type-depositories: ANIC, MHNG.
  • Forel, 1907a: 2 (m.); Crawley, 1918: 88 (m.).
  • Combination in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera): Emery, 1911d: 39.
  • Subspecies of metallica: Forel, 1907a: 1; Emery, 1911d: 39; Emery, 1912a: 79; Emery, 1914b: 180; Crawley, 1918: 88.
  • Junior synonym of tasmaniensis: Brown, 1958g: 205, 277; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 48; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 379.

Type Material

• Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum cristulatum Forel, 1900: Syntype, 1 worker (damaged), Australia, Australia, Froggatt, ANIC32-011949, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum cristulatum Forel, 1900: Syntype, worker(s), Australia, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
• Rhytidoponera metallica tasmaniensis Emery, 1898: Syntype, 1 worker, Tasmania, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Rhytidoponera metallica tasmaniensis Emery, 1898: Syntype, 5 workers, Tasmania, Australia, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa.

Description

Karyotype

• See additional details at the Ant Chromosome Database.

 Explore: Show all Karyotype data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

• 2n = 30 (Australia) (Crozier et al., 1986).
• 2n = 46 (Australia) (Crozier et al., 1986).

References

• Beaumont, K.P., Mackay, D.A., Whalen, M.A. 2013. Multiphase myrmecochory: the roles of different ant species and effects of fire. Oecologia 172, 791–803 (doi:10.1007/s00442-012-2534-2).
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1958g. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. II. Tribe Ectatommini (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 118: 173-362 (page 205, Raised to species, and senior synonym of cristulatum)
• Crozier, R. H. 1969a [1968]. Cytotaxonomic studies on some Australian dolichoderine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Caryologia 21: 241-259 (page 241, karyotype described)
• Emery, C. 1898b. Descrizioni di formiche nuove malesi e australiane. Note sinonimiche. Rend. Sess. R. Accad. Sci. Ist. Bologna (n.s.) 2: 231-245 (page 232, worker described)
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1964b. The ant larvae of the subfamily Ponerinae: supplement. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 57: 443-462 (page 449, larva described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Andersen A. N. 1983. A brief survey of ants in Glenaladale National Park, with particular reference to seed-harvesting. Victorian Naturalist 100(6): 233-237.
• Andersen A. N. 1986. Diversity, seasonality and community organization of ants at adjacents heath and woodland sites in South-Eastern Asutralia. Australian Journal of Zoolology 34: 53-64.
• Andersen A.N., and M.E. McKaige. 1987. Ant communities at Rotamah Island, Victoria, with particular references to disturbance and Rhytidoponera tasmaniensis. Proc. R. Soc. Vict 99(4):141-146.
• Borgelt A., and T. R. New. 2006. Pitfall trapping for ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in mesic Australia: what is the best trapping period? Journal of Insect Conservation 10: 75-77.
• CSIRO Collection
• Chong C-S., L. J. Thomson, and A. A. Hoffmann. 2011. High diversity of ants in Australian vineyards. Australian Journal of Entomology 50: 7-21.
• Emery C. 1898. Descrizioni di formiche nuove malesi e australiane. Note sinonimiche. Rendiconti delle Sessioni della Reale Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna (n.s.)2: 231-245.
• Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
• Emery C. 1912. Revision der Rhytidoponera (subg. Chalcoponera) der metallica-Gruppe. (Hym.-Formic.). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1912: 77-81.
• Emery C. 1914. Formiche d'Australia e di Samoa raccolte dal Prof. Silvestri nel 1913. Bollettino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e Agraria della Reale Scuola Superiore d'Agricoltura. Portici 8: 179-186.
• Mann V. 2013. Using insect biodiversity to measure the effectiveness of on-farm restoration plantings. Master of Environmental Management at the School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania 111 pages.
• 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.