Iridomyrmex lividus

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Iridomyrmex lividus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
Tribe: Leptomyrmecini
Genus: Iridomyrmex
Species: I. lividus
Binomial name
Iridomyrmex lividus
Shattuck, 1993

Iridomyrmex lividus side view

Iridomyrmex lividus top view

Specimen labels

Identification

The range of I. lividus overlaps with the closely related Iridomyrmex purpureus. In general, fresh worker material can be distinguished by its dark colour and strong blue iridescence. However, faded specimens can be quite difficult to separate from western samples of I. purpureus, in particular. The rather more angulate form of the propodeum in most I. lividus is a helpful character (this sclerite is more rounded in many I. purpureus), but must be used with caution as it is not universal. In the field, the small, single entrance hole to the I. lividus nest contrasts with the large mound made by its close relative.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -25.36667° to -35.5°.

   
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

Biochemically, this ant shares the frequencies of several allozyme alleles with those of I. purpureus (Halliday, 1979, 1981) although there are differences in competitive abilities between the two species (Greenslade, 1987).

Castes

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Iridomyrmex lividus casent0172066 head 1.jpgIridomyrmex lividus casent0172066 profile 1.jpgIridomyrmex lividus casent0172066 dorsal 1.jpgIridomyrmex lividus casent0172066 label 1.jpg
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0172066. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by ANIC, Canberra, Australia.

Male

Images from AntWeb

Iridomyrmex lividus casent0172065 head 1.jpgIridomyrmex lividus casent0172065 profile 1.jpgIridomyrmex lividus casent0172065 dorsal 1.jpgIridomyrmex lividus casent0172065 dorsal 2.jpgIridomyrmex lividus casent0172065 label 1.jpg
Male (alate). Specimen code casent0172065. 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.

  • lividus. Iridomyrmex lividus Shattuck, 1993a: 125, fig. 12 (w.) AUSTRALIA. See also: Heterick & Shattuck, 2011: 94.

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 absent from sides of head in full-face view (one to a few small setae may be present near mandibular insertion). Ocelli absent; in full-face view, eyes set above midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of head capsule; eye semi-circular. Frontal carinae convex; antennal scape surpassing posterior margin of head by approximately 2 x its diameter. Erect setae on scape present and abundant; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin projecting as triangular spur; mandible elongate 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 sinuous. 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 posteriad and near propodeal declivity, or 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, or weakly present or absent, the confluence of the dorsal and declivitous propodeal faces indicated, if at all, by an undulation. Erect propodeal setae numerous (12 or more), short and bristly. Petiole. Dorsum of node acuminate; 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. Allometric differences between workers of same nest absent. Colour head, appendages and mesosoma reddish-brown to blackish-brown with blue or purple iridescence, gaster chocolate to black with variable blue, greenish, pink or purple iridescence. Colour of erect setae brown.

Measurements. Worker (n = 31)—CI 87–99; EI 17–22; EL 0.31–0.38; EW 0.19–0.23; HL 1.75–2.15; HW 1.58–2.12; ML 0.77–1.02; PpH 0.23–0.38; PpL 0.82–1.13; SI 85–101; SL 1.51–1.84.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • CSIRO Collection
  • Heterick B. E., and S. Shattuck. 2011. Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2845: 1-174.
  • Shattuck S. O. 1993. Revision of the Iridomyrmex purpureus species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 7: 113-149.