Myrmecia nigriceps

These ants are visual predators. Typical encounters with even a solitary forager shows that they are a formidable and aggressive species.

Identification
Myrmecia desertorum, Myrmecia fuscipes, Myrmecia gratiosa, Myrmecia nigriceps and Myrmecia vindex are all large to very large, reddish ants with red, brown or black heads and a black gaster.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 * . Myrmecia nigriceps 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.
 * Forel, 1910b: 3 (q.); Viehmeyer, 1914b: 28 (m.).
 * Subspecies of vindex: Forel, 1907h: 264; Forel, 1910b: 3; Emery, 1911d: 19; Forel, 1913g: 173; Viehmeyer, 1914b: 28; Clark, 1925b: 144.
 * Status as species: Roger, 1863b: 23; Mayr, 1863: 430; Mayr, 1876: 95; Dalla Torre, 1893: 21; Kirby, W.F. 1896: 206; Wheeler, W.M. 1909a: 27; Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 38; Clark, 1951: 64 (redescription); Taylor & Brown, 1985: 13; Taylor, 1987a: 44; Ogata, 1991a: 358; Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1638 (in key), 1659; Bolton, 1995b: 272; Heterick, 2009: 121.
 * Senior synonym of fasciata: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1659; Bolton, 1995b: 272.
 * Distribution: Australia.
 * fasciata. Myrmecia fasciata Clark, 1951: 63, fig. 40 (w.) AUSTRALIA (New South Wales).
 * Type-material: holotype worker, paratype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-localities: holotype + paratypes Australia: New South Wales, Pilliga (W.W. Froggatt), New South Wales, Barraba (W.W. Froggatt).
 * [Note: original description gives no indication which series contains the holotype, but Taylor & Brown, 1985: 9, cite Pilliga.]
 * Type-depository: ANIC.
 * Status as species: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 9; Taylor, 1987a: 43; Ogata, 1991a: 358.
 * Junior synonym of nigriceps: Ogata & Taylor, 1991: 1659; Bolton, 1995b: 271.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Forel A. 1913. Fourmis de Tasmanie et d'Australie récoltées par MM. Lae, Froggatt etc. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 49: 173-195
 * 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.