Rhytidoponera mayri

Identification
Large ants that, like Rhytidoponera taurus, have workers that are easily distinguished from other Rhytidoponera workers in the SWBP by their occipital cornicles.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Biology
An inhabitant of semi-arid areas.

Polygynous colonies with several gamergates (Peeters 1987). Studies of reproductive biology have been published under the name "sp. 12". Nest sites are long lasting, making it a good model to study changes in colony kin structure using molecular markers (several papers by Wee Tek Tai)



Nomenclature

 * . Ectatomma mayri Emery, 1883: 150 (footnote) (w.) AUSTRALIA (no state data).
 * Type-material: 3 syntype workers.
 * Type-locality: Australia: Eastern Australia (no further data).
 * [Note: Emery states that the specimens were in his collection labelled “New Zealand”.]
 * Type-depository: MSNG.
 * Clark, 1936: 36 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 448 (l.); Imai, Crozier & Taylor, 1977: 347 (k.).
 * Combination in Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera): Forel, 1892c: 334;
 * combination in Rhytidoponera: Emery, 1911d: 38.
 * Status as species: Forel, 1892c: 334; Dalla Torre, 1893: 24; Emery, 1911d: 38; Clark, 1936: 36 (redescription); Brown, 1958g: 203, 273; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379; Heterick, 2009: 137.
 * Senior synonym of dixoni: Brown, 1958g: 203, 273; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * Senior synonym of glabrius: Brown, 1958g: 203, 273; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * Senior synonym of occidentalis: Brown, 1958g: 203, 273; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * Senior synonym of petiolata Clark: Brown, 1958g: 203; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * Senior synonym of quadriceps: Brown, 1958g: 203, 274; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * Senior synonym of stridulator: Brown, 1958g: 203, 274; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * Distribution: Australia.
 * dixoni. Rhytidoponera dixoni Clark, 1936: 46, pl. 4, figs. 22, 23 (w.m.) AUSTRALIA (Victoria).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous specimens”).
 * Type-localities: Australia: Victoria, Lake Hattah (J. Dixon), Wyperfeld Nat. Park (J. Clark), Pomona (J. Hill).
 * Type-depository: MVMA.
 * Junior synonym of mayri: Brown, 1958g: 203, 273; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * glabrius. Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) mayri subsp. glabrius Forel, 1907h: 268 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-localities: Australia: Western Australia, stat. 76 Day Dawn, stat. 77 Yalgoo, 1905 (Michaelsen & Hartmeyer).
 * Type-depository: MHNG.
 * [Misspelled as glabrior by Emery, 1911d: 38, Forel, 1913g: 174, Clark, 1936: 34.]
 * Forel, 1913g: 174 (m.).
 * Combination in Rhytidoponera: Emery, 1911d: 38.
 * Subspecies of mayri: Stitz, 1911a: 352; Emery, 1911d: 38; Forel, 1913g: 174.
 * Status as species: Clark, 1936: 34 (redescription).
 * Junior synonym of mayri: Brown, 1958g: 203, 273; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 379.
 * hilli. Chalcoponera hilli Clark, 1941: 85, pl. 13, fig. 15 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Queensland).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Australia: N Queensland, Palm I. (G.F. Hill).
 * Type-depositories: MCZC, MVMA.
 * [Junior secondary homonym of Rhytidoponera (Rhytidoponera) hilli Crawley, 1915a: 131.]
 * Replacement name: Rhytidoponera (Chalcoponera) clarki Donisthorpe, 1943e: 115.
 * occidentalis. Rhytidoponera occidentalis Clark, 1936: 39, fig. 2 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Western Australia).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Australia: Western Australia, Wadgingarra, N Yalgoo (L. Glauert).
 * Type-depositories: MVMA, WAMP.
 * Junior synonym of mayri: Brown, 1958g: 203, 273; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 380.
 * petiolata. Rhytidoponera petiolata Clark, 1936: 41, pl. 4, fig. 18 (w.) AUSTRALIA (South Australia).
 * Type-material: 4 syntype workers.
 * Type-locality: Australia: South Australia, Lake Killalpaninna, 1903 (J.W. Gregory).
 * Type-depository: MVMA.
 * [Unresolved junior primary homonym of Rhytidoponera laciniosa subsp. petiolata Viehmeyer, 1912: 5 (Bolton, 1995b: 380).]
 * Junior synonym of mayri: Brown, 1958g: 203, 274; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 380.
 * quadriceps. Rhytidoponera quadriceps Clark, 1936: 30, pl. 3, fig. 8 (w.) AUSTRALIA (Northern Territory).
 * Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
 * Type-locality: Australia: Northern Territory, Tennants Creek (C. Barrett).
 * Type-depository: MVMA.
 * Junior synonym of mayri: Brown, 1958g: 203, 274; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 380.
 * stridulator. Rhytidoponera stridulator Clark, 1936: 37, fig. 1 (w.m.) AUSTRALIA (New South Wales).
 * Type-material: 17 syntype workers.
 * Type-locality: Australia: New South Wales, 20 mi. N Bourke, 1935 (A.H. Wetherly).
 * Type-depositories: ANIC, MVMA.
 * [Note: Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45, comment that the ANIC type-material is missing.]
 * Junior synonym of mayri: Brown, 1958g: 203, 274; Taylor & Brown, 1985: 45; Taylor, 1987a: 69; Bolton, 1995b: 381.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Brown W. L., Jr. 1958. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. II. Tribe Ectatommini (Hymenoptera). Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 118: 173-362.
 * Clark J. 1936. A revision of Australian species of Rhytidoponera Mayr (Formicidae). Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria 9: 14-89
 * Heterick B. E. 2009. A guide to the ants of south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 76: 1-206.
 * 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.