Myrmecia desertorum

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Myrmecia desertorum
Myrmecia desertorum casent0914023 p 1 high.jpg
Worker
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmeciinae
Genus: Myrmecia
Species:
M. desertorum
Binomial name
Myrmecia desertorum
Wheeler, 1915

Myrmecia desertorum is an Australian ant species belonging to the genus Myrmecia . They were first described by Wheeler in 1915, and are distributed all over Australia. [1]

Contents

Myrmecia desertorum are common nationwide. They are typically 18-26 millimetres long. They are usually a reddish yellow colour. Their heads and gaster are in a blackish brown colour, and mandibles and clypeus are of a yellow colour. [2] [3]

Behaviour

Myrmecia desertorum are highly aggressive ants. They are nocturnal and blend easily into a background of dry leaf-litter. They do not lay pheromone trails for foraging and are solitary foragers. They establish permanent nests which resemble huge crater-like depressions, with several nest openings. A poke into any of these openings results in a surge of workers running out with mandibles wide open. They have extraordinarily large eyes. They primarily feed on insects. It was in these ants that an antibiotic in the metapleural gland was discovered. [4] [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Myrmecia</i> (ant) Genus of ants

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.

<i>Myrmecia nigriceps</i> Endemic ant species from 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.

<i>Myrmecia nigrocincta</i> Species of ant

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.

<i>Myrmecia arnoldi</i> Species of ant

Myrmecia arnoldi is a bull ant of the genus Myrmecia. Like all bull ants except for one species in this genus, Myrmecia arnoldi is native to Australia.

<i>Myrmecia gratiosa</i> Species of ant endemic to Australia

Myrmecia gratiosa is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. Native to Australia, this species is mainly found in Western Australia. During a study in Perth, it was realised that Myrmecia gratiosa was located in all locations where reactions in patients occurred. This concludes the species was responsible for ant sting anaphylaxis around Perth.

<i>Myrmecia picta</i> Species of ant

Myrmecia picta is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. It is native to Australia. Myrmecia picta is distributed throughout all of Australia.

<i>Myrmecia forceps</i> Species of ant

Myrmecia forceps is an Australian ant in the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia and commonly distributed in most of the southern regions of Australia. They were described by Roger in 1861.

<i>Myrmecia piliventris</i> Species of ant endemic to Australia

Myrmecia piliventris, the golden tail bull ant, is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. The Myrmecia piliventris is distributed Australia wide, but they're not too common in the western regions of Australia.

<i>Myrmecia chasei</i> Species of ant

Myrmecia chasei is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. The Myrmecia chasei has a large presence and distribution in the south-eastern areas of Western Australia.

<i>Myrmecia nigriscapa</i> Species of ant endemic to Australia

Myrmecia nigriscapa is an Australian ant in the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia and is heavily distributed along the southern coastlines of Australia with some presence in the inner areas of Australia.

Myrmecia dispar is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. They are distributed nationwide, and the species was first described by John S. Clark in 1951.

<i>Myrmecia regularis</i> Species of ant endemic to Australia

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.

<i>Myrmecia luteiforceps</i> Species of ant

Myrmecia luteiforceps is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. Their distribution in Australia has not been observed much but have been noted in New South Wales and Queensland. They were described by Wheeler in 1933.

<i>Myrmecia fuscipes</i> Species of ant

Myrmecia fuscipes is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. Their distribution is heavily observed in South Australia and Western Australia.

<i>Myrmecia athertonensis</i> Species of ant endemic to Australia

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 picticeps is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. Myrmecia picticeps has mostly been studied and found in the state of Western Australia. It was described by John S. Clark in 1951.

Myrmecia maura is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. Their distribution in Australia is mostly around the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.

Myrmecia formosa is an Australian ant which belongs to the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia. Their distribution in Australia has notably been studied and collected in New South Wales.

<i>Myrmecia comata</i> Species of ant

Myrmecia comata is an Australian ant in the genus Myrmecia. This species is native to Australia and distributed mostly around Queensland. It was described as a species by John S. Clark in 1951.

<i>Myrmecia swalei</i> Species of ant

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.

References

  1. "Myrmecia desertorum Wheeler, 1915". Atlas of Living Australia. Govt of Australia. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. Clark, John (1951). The Formicidae of Australia (Volume 1) (PDF). Melbourne: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia. pp. 59–61.
  3. Clark, John (1925). The ants of Victoria. Part II. Melbourne. p. 144.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. Schmidt, J.O (2009). Journal of Hymenoptera research.
  5. Brown, William (1953). Revisionary notes on the ant genus Myrmecia of Australia (PDF). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. p. 19.