Rhytidoponera inornata

One of the more common species of Rhytidoponera in the south-west corner of WA. It occurs in natural habitats and urban areas.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 * . Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) metallica var. inornata Crawley, 1922b: 436 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
 * Type-material: 35 syntype workers.
 * Type-locality: Australia: Western Australia, Perth, no. 31 (J. Clark).
 * Type-depositories: NHMB, OXUM.
 * Crawley, 1925b: 591 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971b: 1201 (l.).
 * Subspecies of metallica: Crawley, 1925b: 591.
 * Status as species: Brown, 1958g: 203, 266; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 44; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379; Heterick, 2009: 140.
 * Senior synonym of carbonaria: Brown, 1958g: 203, 267; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 44; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * Distribution: Australia.
 * carbonaria. Chalcoponera metallica var. carbonaria Wheeler, W.M. 1934d: 139 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia: Rottnest I.).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated; “numerous specimens”).
 * Type-localities: Australia: Western Australia, Rottnest I., White Hill, 23.x.1931 (W.M. Wheeler), Rottnest I., Tourist’s Camp Reserve, 24.x.1931 (W.M. Wheeler), and Rottnest I., “west end of the island” (Glauert).
 * Type-depository: MCZC.
 * Junior synonym of inornata: Brown, 1958g: 203, 267; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 44; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 378.

Male
Crawley (1925) - Length 5.5 mm.

Smaller and slenderer than the type. Entirely black except for the ferruginous tarsi and apical segments of gaster. Scape somewhat thicker. Sculpture of postpetiole and first segment of gaster much coarser, consisting of irregular striae encircling the base of the postpetiole, together with a few elongate punctures. The following segment is longitudinally reticulate-punctate with small isolated punctures here and there. Both segments shining. Otherwise like the male of metallica.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Brown W. L., Jr. 1958. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. II. Tribe Ectatommini (Hymenoptera). Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 118: 173-362.
 * Heterick B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 76: 1-206.
 * Majer J. D., and O. G. Nichols. 1998. Long-term recolonization patterns of ants in Western Australian rehabilitated bauxite mines with reference to their use as indicators of restoration success. Journal of Applied Ecology 35: 161-182.
 * Majer, J.D. and O.G. Nichols. 1998. Long-Term Recolonization Patterns of Ants in Western Australian Rehabilitated Bauxite Mines with Reference to Their Use as Indicators of Restoration Success. Journal of Applied Ecology 35(1):161-182
 * Rossbach M.H., and J.D. Majer. 1983. A preliminary survey of the ant fauna of the Darling Plateau and Swan Coastal Plain near Perth, Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 66(3): 85-90.