Myrmecia pavida

Distribution
This taxon was described from Australia.

Biology
Chappell et al. (2013): We find little evidence of geographic structuring or inbreeding in the population, indicating that the species outbreeds, most probably in mating swarms. We also find that queens of M. pavida show moderately high polyandry, with 84% having mated with between two and seven males, and an overall mean observed mating frequency of 3.8. This is significantly higher than previously reported for queens of Nothomyrmecia macrops, in which most females mate singly. This was similar to that of Myrmecia pyriformis, Myrmecia brevinoda, and Myrmecia pilosula, the three congenerics for which mating frequencies have recently been reported.

Nomenclature

 * atrata. Myrmecia atrata Clark, 1951: 77, fig. 55 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of pavida: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1659.
 *  pavida. Myrmecia pavida Clark, 1951: 76, fig. 54 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Senior synonym of atrata: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1659.

Additional References

 * Chappell, P., Roberts, K., Baer, B. & Hughes, W.O.H. 2013. Mating system and population genetic structure of the bulldog ant Myrmecia pavida (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Myrmecological News 18, 25-32.
 * [[Media:Clark 1951.pdf|Clark, J. 1951. The Formicidae of Australia. 1. Subfamily Myrmeciinae: 230 pp. CSIRO, Melbourne. [(31.xii).1951.] PDF]]