Rhytidoponera metallica

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia, New Zealand.

Biology
These ants are common in both native and urban habitats, being being abundant across a wide range of situations.

In rare instances these ants have been known to cause serious health problems for humans. In May 2009, a 4 year old girl in northern New South Wales was stung three times by this ant. Within minutes she developed anaphylactic shock and required adrenaline. She recovered but the concern is that future stings may cause similar reactions (Shattuck, 2009).

Nomenclature

 *  metallica. Ponera metallica Smith, F. 1858b: 94 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Mayr, 1866b: 891 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1952a: 125 (l.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 449 (l.); Crozier, 1969: 241 (k.); Imai, Crozier & Taylor, 1977: 347 (k.). Combination in Ecataomma (Rhytidoponera): Mayr, 1862: 732; in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera): Emery, 1897d: 548. Senior synonym of caeciliae, pulchra, purpurascens, varians: Brown, 1958g: 204.
 * purpurascens. Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) metallica var. purpurascens Wheeler, W.M. 1915g: 805 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of metallica: Brown, 1958g: 204.
 * varians. Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) metallica var. varians Crawley, 1922b: 436 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Crawley, 1925b: 591 (m.). Junior synonym of metallica: Brown, 1958g: 204.
 * caeciliae. Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) caeciliae Viehmeyer, 1924a: 227 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of metallica: Brown, 1958g: 204.
 * pulchra. Chalcoponera pulchra Clark, 1941: 86, pl. 13, fig. 16 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of metallica: Brown, 1958g: 204.

Type Material


Ponera metallica

Two worker syntypes in. Labelled “Adelaide,” and “Smith coll. pres. by Mrs Farren White. 99-103.” [One specimen designated lectotype by Brown, 1958.]

Male
Crawley (1925) - Length 5.2 mm.

Slightly smaller than the above. The funicular joints are rather shorter, the sculpture on head and thorax is denser, the punctures less defined, on the postpetiole the sculpture is coarser, irregularly transversely rugose; the first segment of gaster transversely roughened; otherwise like inornata. The pilosity on the legs is less dense.

Additional References

 * [[Media:Crawley 1925b.pdf|Crawley, W. C. 1925b. New ants from Australia. - II. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 9(16): 577-598 PDF]]


 * Shattuck, S. O. (2009). Personal communication from paediatric immunologist, Children's Hospital Medical Central, Westmead, NSW, May, 2009.


 * [[Media:Ward 1986.pdf|Ward, P. S. 1986. Functional queens in the Australian greenhead ant, Rhytidoponera metallica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche (Cambridge) 93:1-12. [1986-10-10] PDF]]