Iridomyrmex sanguineus Forel

Heterick, Brian E. & Shattuck, Steve, 2011, Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 2845, Zootaxa 2845 (1), pp. 1-174 : 136-137

Iridomyrmex sanguineus Forel

( Fig. 70 )

Iridomyrmex detectus sanguinea Forel, 1910: 53 (subspecies of sanguineus by Greenslade, 1974: 247; raised to species by Shattuck, 1993a: 134 ).

Types. Syntypes from Mackay , Queensland ( ANIC, ANIC32-008877 , 3 workers, examined; MHNG, 6 workers) .

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 at about 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 1-2 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 absent. Mesosoma. Pronotum moderately and evenly curved over its length. Erect pronotal setae numerous (12 or more), short and bristly. Mesonotum sinuous. Erect mesonotal setae moderate in number to numerous (6 or more), short and bristly. Mesothoracic spiracles always prominent as small, vertical protuberances; propodeal dorsum smoothly and evenly convex; placement of propodeal spiracle posteriad and near propodeal declivity; propodeal angle 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, or convex; node thin, scale-like, 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 brick red, gaster dark brown, legs dull brown, bluish green iridescence on gaster, purplish iridescence on legs, very weak pinkish iridescence on head and mesosoma. Colour of erect setae black.

Measurements. Worker (n = 55) — CI 88–100; EI 17–21; EL 0.30–0.40; EW 0.17–0.24; HL 1.66–2.32; HW 1.49–2.23; ML 0.71–1.13; PpH 0.19–0.33; PpL 0.75–1.19; SI 85–106; SL 1.45–1.92.

Comments. Iridomyrmex sanguineus occurs in the same climatic zone as I. reburrus and is the most common northern meat ant ( Andersen, 2000). The morphological differences between this species and I. reburrus are slight, and are discussed above (see also Shattuck, 1993a ).

Figures

FIGURE 70. Iridomyrmex sanguineus (syntype, Mackay, Qld, ANIC32-008877): A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined (A. Noble, www.antweb.org).