Opisthopsis

Opisthopsis is a very distinctive group of ants and can be found in large numbers in appropriate habitats. The workers are generally brightly coloured and forage on the ground as well as on vegetation. They run rapidly with short, jerky motions and are often out during the hottest part of the day. Being equipped with large eyes their vision is very acute and capturing foragers can be challenging. They will skip out of harm's way when approached on the ground or dart to the far side of a branch or leaf if foraging on vegetation.

Nests are either in the soil or in branches on trees or large shrubs. Ground nests are often in active termite mounds or in larger ant nests such as those of some Rhytidoponera species. Colonies generally contain at most several hundred workers and a single or several queens.

Two species of Opisthopsis have so far been found only in the nests of other species of the genus. It is suspected that these are parasitic species using other Opisthopsis species to raise their young, but detailed studies are yet to be undertaken.



Worker of O. haddoni from Queensland.



Worker of O. respiciens from Queensland.



Opisthopsis workers are highly visual and will evade capture by skipping just out of harms way.

Identification
The eyes are very large and placed on the rear corners of the head so that they form part of the outline of the head when viewed from the front.

Species of Opisthopsis are immediately recognisable by the unique placement of their compound eyes. These large, rearward placed eyes do not occur in any other Australian ants. Most species (including those most commonly encountered) are also distinctly coloured with bright yellow or orange and dark brown or black markings.

Distribution and Habitats
Australian distribution

Regional Species Lists

 * Australia

Keys to Species

 * Australia