| Myrmecia acuta | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmeciinae |
| Genus: | Myrmecia |
| Species: | M. acuta |
| Binomial name | |
| Myrmecia acuta Ogata & Taylor, 1991 | |
Myrmecia acuta is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia , and is endemic to Australia, usually found in Western Australia and some areas of South Australia. Myrmecia acuta was first described in 1991. [1]
Myrmecia is a genus of ants first established by Danish zoologist Johan Christian Fabricius in 1804. The genus is a member of the subfamily Myrmeciinae of the family Formicidae. Myrmecia is a large genus of ants, comprising at least 93 species that are found throughout Australia and its coastal islands, while a single species is only known from New Caledonia. One species has been introduced out of its natural distribution and was found in New Zealand in 1940, but the ant was last seen in 1981. These ants are commonly known as bull ants, bulldog ants or jack jumper ants, and are also associated with many other common names. They are characterized by their extreme aggressiveness, ferocity, and painful stings. Some species are known for the jumping behavior they exhibit when agitated.
Myrmeciinae is a subfamily of the Formicidae, ants once found worldwide but now restricted to Australia and New Caledonia. This subfamily is one of several ant subfamilies which possess gamergates, female worker ants which are able to mate and reproduce, thus sustaining the colony after the loss of the queen. The Myrmeciinae subfamily was formerly composed of only one genus, Myrmecia, but the subfamily was redescribed by Ward & Brady in 2003 to include two tribes and four genera. An additional three genera, one form genus, and 9 species were described in 2006 from the Early Eocene of Denmark, Canada, and Washington. Subsequently an additional fossil genus was moved from the family Rhopalosomatidae in 2018, and a new genus was described in 2021.
Myrmecia gulosa, the red bull ant, also known as the giant bull ant or "hoppy joe", is a species of bulldog ant from the genus Myrmecia. It is abundant throughout Eastern Australia.
Myrmecia nigriceps, also known as the black-headed bull ant, is a species of ant endemic to Australia. A member of the genus Myrmecia in the subfamily Myrmeciinae, it was first described by Austrian entomologist Gustav Mayr in 1862. These ants are large, varying from 19 to 23 millimetres in length. However, colonies contain workers that are much smaller, usually half the size of normal workers. The queens are the largest while the males are the smallest, which can be easily identified due to their small mandibles.
Myrmecia pavida is a bull ant species that lives in and is native to Australia. Described by John S. Clark in 1951, the Myrmecia Pavida is distributed and has been mainly collected from the states of Western Australia and South Australia.
Myrmecia vindex is a species of Myrmecia which is endemic to Australia. As a subgroup of the Myrmecia gulosa species group, these ants are also commonly known as the Bull Ant. The Myrmecia vindex was collected and described by Frederick Smith in 1858.
Myrmecia pyriformis, also known as the bull ant or inch ant, is an Australian ant. Myrmecia pyriformis belongs to the genus Myrmecia. It is abundant in many major cities of Australia, but mostly spotted in the eastern states. The species is of a similar appearance to the Myrmecia forficata.
Myrmecia loweryi is a species of the giant bull ant which is abundant to Australia. Myrmecia loweryi is one of the latest species of bull ant to be described, which was back in 1991 by Ogata & Taylor. They are mostly located around New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Myrmecia nigrocincta, commonly known as the jumper ant or jumping jack, is an ant of the genus Myrmecia. The species was first described by Frederick Smith in 1858. Colonies of this ant are abundant in eastern Australia. Ants of this species are known for their ability to jump up to 10 centimetres, and they also have a powerful, venomous sting. Rather than foraging on the ground, M. nigrocincta prefer to forage in trees where they are known to pollinate certain flowers.
Myrmecia browningi is an Australian bull ant species, a part of the genus Myrmecia. They are endemic to Australia and have primarily only been seen in South Australia.
Myrmecia fabricii is an Australian ant in the genus Myrmecia native to Australia, with specimens mainly found in the state of Queensland. It was described by Ogata and Taylor in 1991.
Myrmecia minuscula is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. They are distributed in the state of Queensland. They were described by Forel in 1915.
Myrmecia testaceipes is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. The distribution of Myrmecia testaceipes is throughout all of the southern states of Australia. It was described as a species by John S. Clark in 1943.
Myrmecia regularis is a species of ant endemic to Australia. A member of the genus Myrmecia in the subfamily Myrmeciinae, it was first described by American entomologist Walter Cecil Crawley in 1925. These ants are medium to large in size, measuring 10 to 20 millimetres, and they are bright brownish-red in colour. Queens and workers share similar morphological features, but they can be distinguished by the noticeable size difference. Males also look similar, but collected specimens are too damaged to be examined properly.
Myrmecia erecta is an Australian bull ant species, a part of the genus Myrmecia. They are endemic to Australia. They are mainly distributed in South Australia and the surrounding areas of the state.
Myrmecia athertonensis is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is endemic to Australia. They are commonly spotted in the north of Queensland. It was described by Forel in 1915.
Myrmecia occidentalis is a species of ant. It belongs to the genus Myrmecia and was described by John S. Clark in 1943. Native to Australia, Myrmecia occidentalis is mainly distributed in the state of Western Australia.
Myrmecia tridentata is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. It is native to Australia. They have been usually spotted in South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland. It was described by Kazuo Ogata and Robert Taylor in 1991.
Myrmecia maxima is an unidentifiable species of ant endemic to Australia. A member of the genus Myrmecia in the subfamily Myrmeciinae, M. maxima was first described by George Fletcher Moore in 1842. As no type specimen is available, M. maxima cannot be confidently identified, but the only description Moore had provided undoubtedly describes a large Myrmecia species, having long, sharp mandibles and a formidable sting. It is still classified as a valid species. The ant resides in the south-west regions of Western Australia. As other Myrmecia species have been identified in these regions, M. maxima is possibly a senior synonym of one of these ants. Its former name is recognised as an invalid name after it was suppressed under plenary powers in 1976.
Myrmecia swalei is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia and is commonly distributed in Western Australia and South Australia. It was described by Crawley in 1922.