Iridomyrmex hesperus

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Iridomyrmex hesperus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Tribe: Leptomyrmecini
Genus: Iridomyrmex
Species: I. hesperus
Binomial name
Iridomyrmex hesperus
Shattuck, 1993

Iridomyrmex hesperus side view

Iridomyrmex hesperus top view

Iridomyrmex hesperus is an uncommon member of the viridigaster complex. For other details of its distribution and biology see Shattuck (1993).

Identification

This ant is confined to Western Australia and can be distinguished from other members of the complex by its lack of iridescence, its hairy mesosoma, the presence of erect setae on the hind tibiae and its relatively elongate antennal scape.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -25.958045° to -34.98333333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Iridomyrmex hesperus casent0172052 head 1.jpgIridomyrmex hesperus casent0172052 profile 1.jpgIridomyrmex hesperus casent0172052 dorsal 1.jpgIridomyrmex hesperus casent0172052 label 1.jpg
Holotype of Iridomyrmex hesperusWorker. Specimen code casent0172052. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • hesperus. Iridomyrmex hesperus Shattuck, 1993b: 1316, figs. 24, 25, 38 (w.) AUSTRALIA. See also: Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 90.

Type Material

Description

Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head planar to weakly concave; erect setae on posterior margin in full-face view set in a row; sides of head noticeably convex; erect genal setae present on sides of head in full- face view. Ocelli absent; in full-face view, eyes set at about midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of head capsule; eye semi-circular. Frontal carinae concave; antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head by 1– 2 x its diameter. Erect setae on scape absent, except at tip; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin present as an indistinct swelling or undulation; mandible regularly triangular with oblique basal margin; long, curved setae on venter of head capsule present. Mesosoma. Pronotum moderately and evenly curved over its length. Erect pronotal setae numerous (12 or more), short and bristly. Mesonotum straight. Erect mesonotal setae numerous (12 or more), short and bristly. Mesothoracic spiracles always prominent as small, vertical protuberances; propodeal dorsum protuberant; placement of propodeal spiracle mesad, more than its diameter away from propodeal declivity; propodeal angle present as a bluntly defined right angle, the dorsal and declivitous propodeal faces never separated by a carina. Erect propodeal setae numerous (12 or more), short and bristly. Petiole. Dorsum of node convex; node thick, orientation more-or-less vertical. Gaster. Non-marginal erect setae of gaster present on first gastral tergite; marginal erect setae of gaster present on first tergite. General characters. Colour anterior of head capsule and mesosoma pale orange with some brown infuscation, head, gaster and legs brown. Colour of erect setae yellowish brown.

Measurements. Worker (n = 3)—CI 91–92; EI 27–28; EL 0.30–0.31; EW 0.17–0.17; HL 1.18–1.23; HW 1.08–1.13; ML 0.53–0.58; PpH 0.20–0.23; PpL 0.69–0.74; SI 89–91; SL 0.98–1.03.

References