Myrmecia froggatti

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Biology
Five nests of Myrmecia froggatti were dug out in dry Eucalyptus woodland in Queensland, northern Australia. Nest structure was simple; a single, vertical unbranched shaft that connected 6-12 chambers down to 80-145 cm. Colonies were monogynous and of small size; each contained one ergatoid queen, an average of 38 workers, and several brood (Ito et al. 1994).

Castes
Ergatoid queens had a sperm-filled spermatheca and between 15-18 ovarioles, whereas workers had an empty spermatheca and 4-15 ovarioles. Pronotum width and head width of workers showed isometric growth. However, allometric growth was observed between the width of the pronotum and the width of the fourth segment of the abdomen. Number of ovarioles was positively correlated with abdomen width. Thus, large sized workers have a disproportionally larger number of ovarioles than smaller sized workers, and may have a trophic function (Ito et al. 1994).



Nomenclature

 *  froggatti. Myrmecia froggatti Forel, 1910b: 9 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Clark, 1951: 129 (q.). Combination in M. (Promyrmecia): Emery, 1911d: 19; in Promyrmecia: Clark, 1943: 96; in Myrmecia: Brown, 1953j: 17. Subspecies of aberrans: Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 52. Revived status as species: Clark, 1943: 96. Senior synonym of sericata, taylori: Brown, 1953j: 17; of eupoecila, excavata, greavesi: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1643.
 * sericata. Myrmecia (Promyrmecia) aberrans subsp. sericata Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 53 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Promyrmecia: Clark, 1943: 94. Junior synonym of froggatti: Brown, 1953j: 17.
 * taylori. Myrmecia (Promyrmecia) aberrans subsp. taylori Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 53 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Promyrmecia: Clark, 1943: 95. Junior synonym of froggatti: Brown, 1953j: 17.
 * eupoecila. Promyrmecia eupoecila Clark, 1943: 98, pl. 12, fig. 8 (q.) AUSTRALIA. Clark, 1951: 134 (w.). Combination in Myrmecia: Brown, 1953j: 18. Junior synonym of froggatti: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1643.
 * greavesi. Promyrmecia greavesi Clark, 1943: 99, pl. 12, fig. 9 (q.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Myrmecia: Brown, 1953j: 18. Junior synonym of froggatti: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1643.
 * excavata. Promyrmecia excavata Clark, 1951: 137, figs. 105, 106 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Myrmecia: Brown, 1953j: 18. Junior synonym of froggatti: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1643.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Ogata K. and Taylor R.W. 1991. Ants of the genus Myrmecia Fabricius: a preliminary review and key to the named species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmeciinae), Journal of Natural History, 25: 1623-1673
 * 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.