Iridomyrmex

Taxobox
name = "Iridomyrmex"

---

image_caption = Meat ant ("I. purpureus")
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Hymenoptera
familia = Formicidae
subfamilia = Dolichoderinae
genus = "Iridomyrmex"
genus_authority = Mayr, 1862
diversity_link = Iridomyrmex
diversity = c. 60 species
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Iridomyrmex purpureus"
"many more, see text".

"Iridomyrmex" is a genus of ants that belongs to the subfamily Dolichoderinae. There are 79 species and subspecies that belong to this genus and they range from India to China to Australia and New Caledonia.

Description

Unlike other genera in Dolichoderinae, "Iridomyrmex" ants have the front margin of the clypeus above the mandibles highly modified with convex areas towards the sides and a central projection, which varies from strongly to weakly developed. The compound eyes are relatively high on the head and away from the mandibles.

Behaviour

"Iridomyrmex" ants are generally aggressive to other ants. They form large nests (from several hundred to over 300,000 workers), which limits the number of competing nests that can be formed in a given area. Often, the only neighbouring ant species that can co-exist are those that are of different size or those that forage for food at different times, thus limiting contact with the "Iridomyrmex" ants. They can be territorial even with ants of their own species but from different nests.

Nests may be above or below ground, with some species such as "I. conifer" alternating between the two. Meat ants ("I. purpureus") are known to create "super-colonies" of many small nests that are connected together, reaching as large as 650 metres in length.

Feeding

"Iridomyrmex" ants are generally scavengers. Workers of some species will form "highways" to food sources, while workers of other species forage singly. "Iridomyrmex" are particularly attracted to seeds with elaiosomes. They will collect these seeds and remove the elaiosomes, discarding the seeds afterwards. The seedlings that sprout from these seeds benefit from the aggressiveness of the "Iridomyrmex" ants, giving them a better chance of survival.

Caterpillars of certain butterfly species have a symbiotic relationship with "Iridomyrmex" ants. They produce secretions that the ants will feed on. In extreme cases, the ants will carry the caterpillar back to their nests where they will protect it. These ants may also tend to aphids and coccids, collecting nectar when possible.

Predators

Some invertebrate species specialise in predation of "Iridomyrmex" ants. There are species of spiders that can detect the ants' chemical communications and selectively target injured members. Ground beetles also have been known to create burrows near ant nests and prey on passing workers.

The Thorny Devil is also a major "Iridomyrmex" predator.

pecies

* "Iridomyrmex agilis" Forel, 1907
* "Iridomyrmex albitarsus" Wheeler, 1927
* "Iridomyrmex anceps" (Roger, 1863)
* "Iridomyrmex anderseni" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex angusticeps" Forel, 1901
* "Iridomyrmex anteroinclinus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex argutus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex bicknelli" Emery, 1898
* "Iridomyrmex bigi" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex breviantennis" Theobald, 1937
* "Iridomyrmex butteli" (Forel, 1913)
* "Iridomyrmex calvus" Emery, 1914
* "Iridomyrmex cappoinclinus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex cephaloinclinus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex chasei" Forel, 1902
* "Iridomyrmex conifer" Forel, 1902
* "Iridomyrmex cyaneus" Wheeler, 1915
* "Iridomyrmex discors" Forel, 1902
* "Iridomyrmex dromus" Clark, 1938
* "Iridomyrmex emeryi" Crawley, 1918
* "Iridomyrmex exsanguis" Forel, 1907
* "Iridomyrmex extensus" Emery, 1887
* "Iridomyrmex florissantius" Carpenter, 1930
* "Iridomyrmex galbanus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex geinitzi" (Mayr, 1868)
* "Iridomyrmex gracilis" (Lowne, 1865)
* "Iridomyrmex greensladei" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex hartmeyeri" Forel, 1907
* "Iridomyrmex haueri" (Mayr, 1867)
* "Iridomyrmex hesperus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex innocens" Forel, 1907
* "Iridomyrmex krakatauae" Wheeler, 1924
* "Iridomyrmex latifrons" Karavaiev, 1933
* "Iridomyrmex lividus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex mapesi" Wilson, 1985
* "Iridomyrmex mattiroloi" Emery, 1898
* "Iridomyrmex meinerti" Forel, 1901
* "Iridomyrmex mimulus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex mjobergi" Forel, 1915
* "Iridomyrmex notialis" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex oblongiceps" Wheeler, 1915
* "Iridomyrmex obscurans" Carpenter, 1930
* "Iridomyrmex obscurus" Crawley, 1921
* "Iridomyrmex obsidianus" Emery, 1914
* "Iridomyrmex occiduus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex prismatis" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex purpureus" (Smith, 1858)
* "Iridomyrmex reburrus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex rufoinclinus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex rufoniger" (Lowne, 1865)
* "Iridomyrmex sanguineus" Forel, 1910
* "Iridomyrmex spadius" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex spodipilus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex variscapus" Shattuck, 1993
* "Iridomyrmex vicinus" Clark, 1934
* "Iridomyrmex viridiaeneus" Viehmeyer, 1914
* "Iridomyrmex viridigaster" Clark, 1941
* "Iridomyrmex wingi" Donisthorpe, 1949

References

*cite web | url=http://www.ento.csiro.au/science/ants/dolichoderinae/iridomyrmex/iridomyrmex.htm | title=Genus "Iridomyrmex" | publisher=CSIRO Entomology | accessdate=2007-04-10
*cite web | url=http://www.faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=248 | title=Meat Ant, Gravel Ant Fact File | publisher=Australian Museum | accessdate=2007-04-10
* ITIS: [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=154215 "Iridomyrmex" species list]