Iridomyrmex prismatis Shattuck, 1321

Heterick, Brian E. & Shattuck, Steve, 2011, Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 2845, Zootaxa 2845 (1), pp. 1-174 : 123

Iridomyrmex prismatis Shattuck

( Fig. 63 )

Iridomyrmex prismatis Shattuck, 1993b: 1321 , figs 20, 21, 36.

Types. Holotype worker from c. 15km WNW of Yaapeet, Wyperfield National Park , Victoria ( ANIC, examined) . Paratypes: same data as holotype ( ANIC, 3 workers, examined) .

Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head weakly convex to planar; erect setae on posterior margin in full-face view set in a row; sides of head noticeably convex; erect genal setae present on sides of head in fullface view. Ocelli absent; in full-face view, eyes set at about midpoint of head capsule; in profile, eye set anteriad of head capsule. Erect setae on scape absent, except at tip; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin always completely absent; 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) and longest setae elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Mesonotum sinuous, or straight. Erect mesonotal setae numerous (12 or more), short and bristly. Mesothoracic spiracles prominent or inconspicuous; propodeal dorsum smoothly and evenly convex, or straight and short (equal in length to propodeal declivity); 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 planar; node thick, orientated anteriad. 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 brown to black, genae around mandibles and antennal flagellum orange in eastern states populations, pale bluish iridescence present on head and body. Colour of erect setae white.

Measurements. Worker (n = 6) — CI 90–94; EI 28–31; EL 0.25–0.29; EW 0.14–0.18; HL 0.90–1.09; HW 0.82–1.00; ML 0.35–0.46; PpH 0.13–0.18; PpL 0.51–0.62; SI 87–94; SL 0.75–0.89.

Comments. Iridomyrmex prismatis is a well-defined species that has recently been recorded from Western Australia (Esperance). Elsewhere in Australia this species has been collected in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. For other details of distribution and the ecology of the ant see Shattuck (1993b) .

Figures

FIGURE 63. Iridomyrmex prismatis (holotype, Wyperfeld National Park, Vic., ANIC32-000018): A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined (A. Noble, www.antweb.org).