Rhytidoponera victoriae

Rhytidoponera victoriae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Ectatomminae
Tribe:	Ectatommini
Genus:	Rhytidoponera
Species:	R. victoriae
Binomial name
Rhytidoponera victoriae (André, 1896) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Ectatomma metallicum modestum Emery, 1895 Ectatomma metallicum scrobiculatum Forel, 1900 Rhytidoponera victoriae cedarensis Forel, 1915

At a Glance

• Limited invasive

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -15.75° 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.

Elevation Range

Occurrence at collecting sites during elevational surveys of rainforest in the Eungella region, Queensland, Australia (Burwell et al., 2020).

Species	Elevation (m asl)
	200	400	600	800	1000	1200
Rhytidoponera victoriae	40-50	80-90	80-90
Shading indicates the bands of elevation where species was recorded. Numbers are the percentage of total samples containing this species.

Biology

Association with Other Organisms

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

• This species is a host for the eucharitid wasp Tricoryna chalcoponerae (a parasitoid) (Quevillon, 2018) (multiple encounter modes; direct transmission; transmission outside nest).
• This species is a host for the eucharitid wasp Tricoryna minor (a parasite) (Universal Chalcidoidea Database) (primary host).

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Rhytidoponera victoriae cedarensis. Worker. Specimen code casent0907166. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Syntype of Ectatomma metallicum scrobiculatum. Worker. Specimen code casent0907167. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Syntype of Ectatomma metallicum modestum. Worker. Specimen code casent0903829. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Syntype of Rhytidoponera victoriae. Worker. Specimen code casent0907164. 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.

• victoriae. Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) victoriae André, 1896b: 261 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Victoria).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: Australia: Victoria, Victorian Alps (no collector’s name).
  • Type-depositories: ANIC, MNHN.
  • Crawley, in Poulton & Crawley, 1922: 122 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 449 (l.); Crozier, 1969: 241 (k.).
  • Combination in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera): Emery, 1911d: 39.
  • Status as species: Emery, 1911d: 39; Emery, 1912a: 80; Crawley, 1918: 88; Chapman & Capco, 1951: 26; Brown, 1958g: 205, 285; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 49; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 381.
  • Senior synonym of cedarensis: Brown, 1958g: 205, 285; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 49; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 381.
  • Senior synonym of modestum: Brown, 1958g: 205, 285; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 49; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 381.
  • Senior synonym of scrobiculatum: Brown, 1958g: 205, 285; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 49; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 381.
  • Distribution: Australia.
• cedarensis. Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) victoriae var. cedarensis Forel, 1915b: 15 (w.m.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated), 1 syntype male.
  • Type-locality: Australia: Queensland, Cedar Creek (E. Mjöberg).
  • Type-depositories: MHNG, NHRS.
  • Junior synonym of victoriae: Brown, 1958g: 205, 285; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 49; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 378.
• modestum. Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum var. modestum Emery, 1895g: 348 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • Type-locality: Australia: Queensland, Kamerunga (Podenzana).
  • Type-depository: MSNG.
  • Combination in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera): Emery, 1911d: 39.
  • Subspecies of metallica: Forel, 1907h: 270.
  • Subspecies of victoriae: Emery, 1911d: 39; Emery, 1912a: 80; Forel, 1915b: 15.
  • Junior synonym of victoriae: Brown, 1958g: 205, 285; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 49; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 380.
• scrobiculatum. Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum var. scrobiculatum Forel, 1900b: 59 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA (New South Wales).
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
  • Type-locality: Australia: New South Wales, Richmond (Froggatt).
  • Type-depositories: ANIC, MHNG, NHMB.
  • Combination in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera): Emery, 1911d: 39.
  • Subspecies of victoriae: Emery, 1911d: 39; Emery, 1912a: 80.
  • Junior synonym of victoriae: Brown, 1958g: 205, 285; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 49; Taylor, 1987a: 71; Bolton, 1995b: 380.

Type Material

• Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum modestum Emery, 1895: Syntype, 2 workers, Kamerunga, Queensland, Australia, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa.
• Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum scrobiculatum Forel, 1900: Syntype, 2 workers, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia, Froggatt, ANIC32-011959, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) metallicum scrobiculatum Forel, 1900: Syntype, worker(s), queen(s), male(s), Richmond, New South Wales, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
• Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) victoriae André, 1896: Syntype, 1 worker, Victorian Alps, Victoria, Australia, <collector unknown>, ANIC32-011958, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) victoriae cedarensis Forel, 1915: Syntype, worker(s), male(s) (probable), Ravenshoe (as Cedar Creek), Queensland, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.

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.

• n = 21, 2n = 42 (Australia) (Crozier, 1969; Crozier, 1970b; Crozier et al., 1986; Imai et al., 1977; Mariano et al., 2015).

References

• André, E. 1896b. Liste des Hyménoptères appartenant aux familles des Formicides et des Mutillides recueillis au Siam et au Cambodge et offerts au Muséum par M. Pavie. Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. 2: 261-262 (page 261, worker described)
• André, E. 1896d. Fourmis nouvelles d'Asie et d'Australie. Rev. Entomol. (Caen) 15: 251-265.
• Ashton, D.H. 1979. Seed harvesting by ants in forests of Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell. in central Victoria. Australian Journal of Ecology 4:265-277.
• 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, Senior synonym of cedarensis, modestum and scrobiculatum)
• Burwell, C.J., Nakamura, A. 2020. Rainforest ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) along an elevational gradient at Eungella in the Clarke Range, Central Queensland coast, Australia. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 125: 43-63.
• Crawley, W. C. 1922d. Notes on some Australian ants. Biological notes by E. B. Poulton, D.Sc., M.A., F.R.S., and notes and descriptions of new forms by W. C. Crawley, B.A., F.E.S., F.R.M.S. [concl.]. Entomol. Mon. Mag. 58: 121-126 (page 122, male described)
• Crozier, R. H. 1969a [1968]. Cytotaxonomic studies on some Australian dolichoderine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Caryologia 21: 241-259 (page 241, karyotype described)
• Emery, C. 1911e. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125 (page 39, Combination in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera))
• 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).
• Mariano, C.S.F., Santos, I.S., Silva, J.G., Costa, M.A., Pompolo, S.G. 2015. Citogenética e evolução do cariótipo em formigas poneromorfas. In: Delabie, J.H.C., Feitosa, R.M., Serrao, J.E., Mariano, C.S.F., Majer, J.D. (eds) As formigas poneromorfas do Brasil, 1st edn. Ilhéus, Brasil, pp 102–125 (doi:10.7476/9788574554419.0010).
• 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., 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.
• Andrew N., L. Rodgerson, and A. York. 2000. Frequent fuel-reduction burning: the role of logs and associated leaf litter in the conservation of ant biodiversity. Austral Ecology 25: 99–107.
• 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.
• Burwell C.J., and A. Nakamura. 2011. Distribution of ant speces along an altitudinal transect in continuous rainforest in subtropical Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum -Nature 55(2): 391-411.
• Emery C. 1911. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Ponerinae. Genera Insectorum 118: 1-125.
• Forel A. 1900. Ponerinae et Dorylinae d'Australie récoltés par MM. Turner, Froggatt, Nugent, Chase, Rothney, J.-J. Walker, etc. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique 44: 54-77.
• Gibson L. A., and T. R. New. 2007. Characterising insect diversity on Australia's remant native grasslands: ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and beetles (Coleoptera) at Craigieburn Grasslands Reserve, Victoria. Journal of Insect Conservation 11: 409-413.
• Lowery B. B., and R. J. Taylor. 1994. Occurrence of ant species in a range of sclerophyll forest communities at Old Chum Dam, north-eastern Tasmania. Australian Entomologist 21: 11-14.
• 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.
• Nooten S. S., P. Schultheiss, R. C. Rowe, S. L. Facey, and J. M. Cook. Habitat complexity affects functional traits and diversity of ant assemblages in urban green spaces (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 29: 67-77.
• Osunkoya O. O., C. Polo, and A. N. Andersen. 2011. Invasion impacts on biodiversity: response of ant communities to infestation by cat's claw creeper vine, Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in subtropical Australia. Biol. Invasions 13: 2289-2302.
• Sinclair J. E., and T. R. New. 2004. Pine plantations in south eastern Australia support highly impoverished ant assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Insect Conservation 8: 277-286.
• 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.