Myrmecia analis

A south coastal species of the SWBP (Heterick 2009).

Identification
Heterick (2009) - The apex of the gaster in this red-and-black ant is a conspicuous yellow.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Biology
Colonies have rarely more than 30-50 workers (Wheeler 1933 p. 43). Independent colony foundation is non-claustral.

Nomenclature

 * . Myrmecia analis Mayr, 1862: 725 (in key), 728 (w.) AUSTRALIA (no state data).
 * Type-material: holotype (?) worker.
 * [Note: no indication of number of specimens is given.]
 * Type-locality: Australia (“New Holland”): (no further data).
 * Type-depository: NHMW.
 * Clark, 1927: 34 (q.).
 * Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 23; Mayr, 1863: 430; Mayr, 1876: 96; Dalla Torre, 1893: 19; Emery, 1911d: 20; Clark, 1927: 34; Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 42; Clark, 1951: 53 (redescription); Taylor & Brown, 1985: 6; Taylor, 1987a: 41; Ogata, 1991a: 358; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1637 (in key); Bolton, 1995b: 270; Heterick, 2009: 120.
 * Senior synonym of atriscapa: Clark, 1927: 34; Clark, 1951: 53; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 6; Taylor, 1987a: 41; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1628; Bolton, 1995b: 270.
 * Distribution: Australia.
 * atriscapa. Myrmecia atriscapa Crawley, 1925b: 580 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Australia: Western Australia, Albany, no. 324 (J. Clark).
 * Type-depository: OXUM.
 * Junior synonym of analis: Clark, 1927: 34; Clark, 1951: 54; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 6; Taylor, 1987a: 41; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1628; Bolton, 1995b: 270.

Description
Crawley (1925) - Length 14 mm. (without mandibles); length of mandibles 3.4 mm.

Colour like a dark M. vindex, head somewhat darker; mandibles castaneous with teeth dark brown; scapes, except the extremities, dark brown; legs slightly paler than thorax; gaster deep black except the two apical segments and a wide lozenge-shaped patch on the middle of the second segment (varying in distinctness in different specimens), which are castaneous.

Legs pilose, but less so than in forficata, scapes with only a faint pubescence. There is a short pilosity on the body and a thin grey pubescence most abundant on gaster.

Head broader than long, narrowing behind the eyes more than in forficata, the occipital angles not so rounded as in regularis, but more like a small forficata. Clypeus emarginate, but not impressed in centre as in forficata. Scapes pass the occiput by one-quarter of their length. Epinotum moderately long, not sharply pointed in front. First node from above oval, narrower in front; in profile rising abruptly in front (even more so than in forficata), where it is highest, thence sloping down to the rounded posterior border. The stalk is intermediate between vindex and forficata, but nearer the former; the length of the node is 1.4 that of the stalk, while in typical examples of vindex the proportion is 1.2 and in forficata 2.6. The stalk is a little longer than in race simillima, Sm., of forficata. Second node as broad as long, more than twice as wide behind as in front, the sides of the posterior third almost parallel.

Entire head longitudinally rugose, with the space between eyes and antennal sockets reticulate. Pronotum transversely striate, the striae not clean-cut, but wavy and arched. Some specimens have one or two central longitudinal lines. Rest of thorax: and epinotum with, similar but only transverse striation. Petiole circularly rugose-striate; postpetiole and first segment of gaster entirely smooth and shining, the remaining segments microscopically reticulate.