Shattuck, Heterick & Shattuck, 2011

Heterick, Brian E. & Shattuck, Steve, 2011, Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 2845, Zootaxa 2845 (1), pp. 1-174 : 151-152

Iridomyrmex turbineu s Shattuck & McMillan

( Fig. 81 )

Iridomyrmex turbineus Shattuck & McMillan, 1998: 309 , figs 11–13.

Types. Holotype worker from 5km S Dwellingup , 33°45'S 116°04'E, Western Australia ( ANIC, ANIC32-000225 , examined) . Paratypes: same data as holotype ( ANIC, ANIC32-039821 , 20 workers, examined; BMNH, 3 workers; MCZC, 3 workers; WAMP, 3 workers) .

Worker Description. Head. Posterior margin of head weakly concave, or strongly concave; erect setae on posterior margin in full-face view set in a row, or present in small aggregations on one or both sides of posterior margin of head; sides of head noticeably convex; erect genal setae present on sides of head in full-face view, or 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 above 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 0.2–0.5 x its length. Erect setae on scape present and abundant, or present and sparse, or absent, except at tip; prominence on anteromedial clypeal margin present as an indistinct swelling or undulation; mandible elongate triangular with oblique basal margin; long, curved setae on venter of head capsule absent. Mesosoma. Pronotum strongly inclined anteriorly, or moderately and evenly curved over its length. Erect pronotal setae moderate in number to numerous (6 or more) and longest setae elongate, flexuous and/or curved. Mesonotum sinuous, or straight. Erect mesonotal setae moderate in number (6–12), short and bristly. Mesothoracic spiracles always prominent as small, vertical protuberances; propodeal dorsum protuberant; placement of propodeal spiracle mesad, more than its diameter away from propodeal declivity; propodeal angle present as a bluntly defined acute angle, the propodeal dorsum conical in shape. Erect propodeal setae numerous (12 or more) and elongate, flexuous and/or curved, or moderate in number (6–12), long, often curved. Petiole. Dorsum of node convex; node thin, scale-like, orientation more-or-less vertical. Gaster. Non-marginal erect setae of gaster present or absent on first gastral tergite; marginal erect setae of gaster present on first tergite, or absent on first tergite. General characters. Allometric differences between workers of same nest absent. Colour honey-brown to blackish-brown, gaster and sometimes head may be darker in specimens with a light coloured mesosoma. Colour of erect setae golden brown.

Measurements. Worker (n = 16) — CI 96–101; EI 20–24; EL 0.24–0.27; EW 0.15–0.18; HL 1.09–1.36; HW 1.05–1.37; ML 0.53–0.70; PpH 0.25–0.40; PpL 0.61–0.75; SI 96–108; SL 1.09–1.35.

Comments. See ‘Discussion’ under I. conifer for the taxonomic characters that identify I. turbineus . Like I. conifer , this species appears to confined to largely coastal areas, and can be found between Dwellingup, south of Perth, and Borden, north-east of Albany. Additional records from Kalgoorlie and the Hamersley Range are well outside of other known distributions for this species, and are regarded as highly dubious by Shattuck & McMillan (1998). The latter two authors also note that, although the ecology of I. turbineus has not been studied in detail, casual observations indicate that it is likely to be similar to that of I. conifer .

Figures

FIGURE 81. Iridomyrmex turbineus (holotype, Dwellingup, WA, ANIC32-000225): A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined.