Rhytidoponera purpurea

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia. Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea.

Biology
This is the only species in the genus where gamergates (mated reproductive workers) do not occur (Ward 1981b), unlike the closely related Rhytidoponera confusa (Molet et al. 2008)

Nomenclature

 *  purpurea. Ectatomma impressum var. purpureum Emery, 1887b: 444 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA. Imai, Crozier & Taylor, 1977: 347 (k.). Combination in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera): Emery, 1897d: 549. Raised to species and senior synonym of splendidum: Brown, 1954g: 7.
 * splendidum. Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) impressum var. splendidum Forel, 1910b: 12 (w.) AUSTRALIA. [Unresolved junior primary homonym of Ectatomma rimulosum var. splendidum Pergande, 1896: 871.] Combination in Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera): Emery, 1911d: 39. Junior synonym of purpurea: Brown, 1954g: 7.