Dolichoderus australis

Dolichoderus australis is found in dry to wet forested areas of south-eastern Australia. Nests are in soil under rocks or occasionally in wood. Workers forage on the ground and on low vegetation and are timid, running for cover when disturbed. Its larvae were described by Wheeler and Wheeler (1974).

Identification
Sculpturing on head minimal, either essentially absent or consisting of very fine reticulations, reddish-brown to black in colour; pronotum and propodeum lacking spines; posterior face of propodeum with a shallow concavity, separated from the dorsal face by at most a weakly defined angle; first tergite of gaster with elongate erect hairs but lacking appressed pubescence.

This species most closely resembles Dolichoderus goudiei, however D. goudiei has appressed pubescence on the first tergite of the gaster which is lacking in this species.

Distribution
This taxon was described from Australia.

The records from Maria Island and Coles Bay, Tasmania, are likely introductions which occurred when the jail located in this area was active (B.B. Lowery, pers. comm.). This is based on the lack of additional material from Tasmania even though suitable habitats are abundant and widespread.

Nomenclature

 *  australis. Dolichoderus australis André, 1896b: 257 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1974b: 396 (l.). Combination in D. (Hypoclinea): Emery, 1913a: 12. See also: Clark, 1930b: 263.

Description
Sculpture on mesonotum and mesopleuron varying from very weakly developed and the surface shiny to moderately strong and the surface matte (the figured individual is intermediate between these extremes). Body colour variable, ranging from reddish to dark red-black. Head colour generally black, occasionally with a reddish tint.

Measurements (n=5). CI 77–84; EI 32–37; EL 0.28–0.33; HL 1.08–1.23; HW 0.85–1.01; ML 1.56–1.89; MTL 0.87–1.09; PronI 64.79–72.91; PronW 0.58–0.66; SI 132–140; SL 1.13–1.34.

Dolichoderus australis shows considerable variation in overall body colour, ranging from reddish to dark red-black. However, numerous intermediate forms between these extremes exist and no other characters could be found which suggest more than a single variable species is present. As such, this colour variation is here considered as being intraspecific.

Additional References

 * Shattuck, S.O. & Marsden, S. 2013. Australian species of the ant genus Dolichoderus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3716, 101–143 (doi 10.11646/zootaxa.3716.2.1).