Brachyponera lutea

Easily the most abundant species in the group, and occurs throughout Australia. Typically this species can be found cohabiting with termites under stones or rotting logs, and the latter are a prey item. As well as being widespread in native woodlands, B. lutea is common in suburban areas, where anecdotal reports suggest it not infrequently stings people tending their gardens. (Heterick 2009)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Castes
Size difference between queens and workers is the highest among all Ponerinae. This is associated with the ability of newly mated queens to start new colonies without foraging outside the nest ('claustral') (Haskins & Haskins 1950).



Nomenclature

 *  lutea. Ponera lutea Mayr, 1862: 721 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Mayr, 1865: 66 (m.); Crawley, 1918: 86 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971b: 1207 (l.); Imai, Crozier & Taylor, 1977: 347 (k.). Combination in Euponera (Brachyponera): Emery, 1901a: 47; in Brachyponera: Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1971b: 1207; in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 307; in Brachyponera: Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014: 80. Senior synonym of socialis: Emery, 1911d: 84; of clara: Bolton, 1995b: 307. See also: Wheeler, W.M. 1933i: 93.
 * socialis. Ectatomma socialis MacLeay, 1873: 369 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of lutea: Emery, 1911d: 84.
 * clara. Euponera (Brachyponera) lutea var. clara Crawley, 1915a: 133 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in Brachyponera: Taylor & Brown, D.R. 1985: 23. Junior synonym of lutea: Bolton, 1995b: 304.