List of ants of Australia

The ant fauna of Australia is large and diverse. As of 1999, Australia and its external territories represent 1,275 described taxa (subspecies included) divided into 103 genera and 10 subfamilies.^[2] No publication since 1999 has estimated the current diversity of Australia's ant fauna, although it has considerably increased in size as the total amount of subfamilies in Australia today is around twelve. Very few species in the country are known to be invasive.

Australia is home to two-thirds of the world's subfamilies, one-third of known genera, 15% of all described species, and some genera found in Australia can be found nowhere else or they are found in neighboring countries instead. Australia's ant diversity is smaller than Central America, South America and Southeast Asia, it has roughly the same number of genera and species as the Orient and surpasses the amount of ants known in Europe, North America, Northern Asia and Northern Africa.^[3] The state of Queensland has the greatest diversity of ants in the world, with more than 1,400 species known within its borders.^[4] The total amount of species known in Australia could possibly be over 6,500, with only one in five ants being described.^[5]

hideContents:
Acropyga • Adlerzia • Aenictus • Amblyopone • Anochetus • Anonychomyrma • Anoplolepis • Aphaenogaster • Arnoldius • Austromorium • Austroponera • Brachyponera • Calomyrmex • Calyptomyrmex • Camponotus • Cardiocondyla • Carebara • Colobopsis • Colobostruma • Crematogaster • Cryptopone • Diacamma • Dilobocondyla • Discothyrea • Doleromyrma • Dolichoderus • Echinopla • Ectomomyrmex • Epopostruma • Eurhopalothrix • Froggattella • Gnamptogenys • Heteroponera  Hypoponera • Iridomyrmex • Iroponera • Leptanilla  Leptogenys • Leptomyrmex • Linepithema • Lioponera • Lordomyrma • Mayriella • Melophorus • Meranoplus • Mesoponera • Mesostruma • Metapone • Monomorium • Myopias • Myopopone • Myrmecia • Myrmecina • Myrmecorhynchus • Mystrium • Nebothriomyrmex • Nothomyrmecia • Notoncus • Notostigma • Nylanderia • Ochetellus • Odontomachus • Oecophylla • Onychomyrmex • Ooceraea • Opisthopsis • Orectognathus • Papyrius • Paraparatrechina • Paratrechina • Parvaponera • Peronomyrmex • Pheidole • Philidris • Plagiolepis • Platythyrea • Podomyrma • Polyrhachis • Ponera • Prionopelta • Pristomyrmex • Probolomyrmex • Proceratium  Prolasius • Pseudolasius • Pseudoneoponera • Pseudonotoncus • Pseudoponera • Rhopalomastix • Rhopalothrix • Rhytidoponera • Romblonella • Solenopsis • Stereomyrmex • Stigmacros • Stigmatomma • Strumigenys • Syllophopsis • Tapinoma • Technomyrmex • Teratomyrmex • Tetramorium • Tetraponera • Trichomyrmex • Turneria  Vollenhovia • Vombisidris • Wasmannia  Zasphinctus •
Incertae sedis        See also        References        Further reading        External Links

Subfamilies[]

In 1999, 10 ant subfamilies were known to reside in Australia, but some of these subfamilies were later synonymised under the subfamily Dorylinae.^[3][6] Today, 12 subfamilies are known to occur in Australia, including Amblyoponinae, Dolichoderinae, Dorylinae, Ectatomminae, Formicinae, Heteroponerinae, Leptanillinae, Myrmeciinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae, Proceratiinae and Pseudomyrmecinae.^[7]

The subfamily Myrmicinae is the largest in Australia in terms of both number of genera and species, as well as the subfamily Formicinae, which is also one of the most common subfamily of ants to be encountered.^[8][9] The subfamily Myrmeciinae consists of two genera which are only found in Australia, with the exception of a single species native to New Caledonia.^[10] Only a single species of the subfamily Leptanillinae is known from Australia.^[7]

Acropyga[]

• Acropyga acutiventris Roger, 1862^[11][12]
• Forel, 1910^[13][14]
• (Donisthorpe, 1938)^[15]

Adlerzia[]

• Adlerzia froggatti (Forel, 1902)^[16][17][18] – Thumbelina ant

Aenictus[]

• Shattuck, 2008^[19][20]
• Aenictus aratus Forel, 1900 ^[21][22][23] – Black lesser army ant
• Shattuck, 2008^[24][25]
• Aenictus hilli Clark, 1928^[26][22]
• Wheeler and Chapman, 1930^[27]
• Wilson, 1964^[28]
• Shattuck, 2008^[29]
• Forel, 1900^[30]

Amblyopone[]

Anochetus[]

References:^{[41][42][43][44]}

Anonychomyrma[]

References:^[47][48][49]

Anoplolepis[]

References:^[58]

• Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith, 1857)^[59] – introduced species – Crazy ant

Aphaenogaster[]

• Shattuck, 2008^[60]
• Wheeler, 1916^[61] – Desert funnel ant
• Aphaenogaster kimberleyensis Shattuck, 2008^[62]
• (Smith, 1858)^[63] – Forest funnel ant
• Aphaenogaster mediterrae Shattuck, 2008^[64]
• Crawley, 1922^[65]
• Forel, 1915^[66]
• Aphaenogaster reichelae Shattuck, 2008^[67]

Arnoldius[]

• Arnoldius flavus (Crawley, 1922)^[68]
• Arnoldius pusillus (Mayr, 1876)^[69][70]
• Arnoldius scissor (Crawley, 1922)^[70][71]

Austromorium[]

• Austromorium flavigaster (Clark, 1938)^[72][73]
• Austromorium hetericki Shattuck, 2009^[74]

Austroponera[]

References:^[41]

• (Clark, 1934)^[75]

Brachyponera[]

• (Emery, 1900)^[76][77][78]
• (Mayr, 1862)^[79][80]

Calomyrmex[]

References:^{[58][81][82][83]}

• (Emery, 1887)^[84]
• (Mayr, 1876)^[85]
• Clark, 1930
• (Forel, 1893) – Black beauty ant
• (Mayr, 1876)^[86][84] – Speckled beauty ant
• (Mayr, 1876)^[87]
• (Mayr, 1876)^[88] – Bauble beauty ant

Calyptomyrmex[]

• Emery, 1887^[89]
• Shattuck, 2011^[90]
• Shattuck, 2011^[90]
• Shattuck, 2011^[90]
• Shattuck, 2011^[90]
• Shattuck, 2011^[90]
• Shattuck, 2011^[90]
• Shattuck, 2011^[90]

Camponotus[]

References:^{[42][91][92][48][93][94][95]}

Cardiocondyla[]

References:^[131][132]

• Forel, 1915^[133]
• Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel, 1881^[134]
• Cardiocondyla nuda (Mayr, 1866)
• (Smith, 1859)
• (Forel, 1890)^[135]

Carebara[]

References:^[136]

• (Jerdon, 1851)
• (Emery, 1900)
• (Forel, 1902)
• (Emery, 1900)
• (Forel, 1915)^[137]
• (Donisthorpe, 1941)

Colobopsis[]

• (Erichson, 1842)^[56] – Southern rectangle plug ant
• Colobopsis explodens ^[138]

Colobostruma[]

References:^[139]

Crematogaster[]

References:^[94]

Cryptopone[]

• (Emery, 1914)^[162][160]

Diacamma[]

References:^[163]

• (Fabricius, 1775)^[164] – Australian bladder ant
• Forel, 1915^[165]
• Crawley, 1915^[166]
• Shattuck & Barnett, 2006^[167]

Dilobocondyla[]

• (Stitz, 1911)^[168]

Discothyrea[]

References:^[169][40]

• Clark, 1928^[170]
• Clark, 1926
• Clark, 1934^[171]
• Clark, 1934^[172]
• (Wheeler, 1916)^[173]

Doleromyrma[]

References:^[174][41]

• Doleromyrma darwiniana (Forel, 1907) – Brown house ant
• Doleromyrma rottnestensis Wheeler, 1934

Dolichoderus[]

References:^{[175][176][177]}

Echinopla[]

References:^[89]

• Forel, 1901
• Forel, 1901

Ectomomyrmex[]

• Ectomomyrmex astutus Smith, 1858^[182]
• (Clark, 1934)^[183]

Epopostruma[]

References:^[184]

Eurhopalothrix[]

• Brown & Kempf, 1960^[199]
• (Forel, 1912)
• (Emery, 1897)

Froggattella[]

• Froggattella kirbii (Lowne, 1865)^{[200][201][202]} – Common froglet ant
• Froggattella latispina Wheeler, 1936^{[203][204][202]}

Gnamptogenys[]

• (Emery, 1902)^[205][202]

Heteroponera[]

Hypoponera[]

References:^{[30][218][41]}

Iridomyrmex[]

References:^{[224][225][226]}

Iroponera[]

References:^[315]

• Iroponera odax Schmidt & Shattuck, 2014

Leptanilla[]

• Leptanilla swani Wheeler, 1932^[316][317]

Leptogenys[]

References:^[30][41]

Leptomyrmex[]

References:^[331][332]

Linepithema[]

• Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868)^[344][345] – introduced species – Argentine ant

Lioponera[]

References:^{[81][346][347]}

Lordomyrma[]

• Wheeler, 1919^[372][373]
• Wheeler, 1919^[374]

Mayriella[]

References:^[184]

• Forel, 1902
• Shattuck & Barnett, 2007^[375]
• Shattuck, 2007
• Viehmeyer, 1925
• Wheeler, 1935

Melophorus[]

References:^[41]

Meranoplus[]

Mesoponera[]

References:^[315]

• (Forel, 1900)
• (Smith, F. 1857)

Mesostruma[]

References:^[184]

Metapone[]

• Taylor & Alpert, 2016^[416]
• Wheeler, 1919^[417]
• Taylor & Alpert, 2016^[418]
• Forel, 1915^[419]
• Taylor & Alpert, 2016^[420]
• Wheeler, 1919^[421]
• McAreavey, 1949

Monomorium[]

Myopias[]

• Willey & Brown, 1983^[482]
• Willey & Brown, 1983^[483]
• Willey & Brown, 1983^[484]
• Wheeler, 1923
• (Emery, 1900)

Myopopone[]

• Myopopone castanea (Smith, 1860)^[485]

Myrmecia[]

Myrmecina[]

Myrmecorhynchus[]

• Clark, 1934^[613]
• André, 1896^[614]
• Clark, 1934^[613]
• Clark, 1934^[615]
• Clark, 1934^[616]

Mystrium[]

• Emery, 1889^[617][618]

Nebothriomyrmex[]

• Nebothriomyrmex majeri Dubovikoff, 2004^[619]

Nothomyrmecia[]

• Nothomyrmecia macrops Clark, 1951^[607][620] – Dinosaur ant

Notoncus[]

References:^[83]

• Forel, 1915^[621]
• (Forel, 1892) – Pronged epaulet ant
• Szabó, 1910 – Bulbous epaulet ants
• Forel, 1895^[622] – Smooth epaulet ant
• Clark, 1930 – Yellow epaulet ant
• (André, 1896)^[614] – Giant epaulet ant

Notostigma[]

• Notostigma carazzii (Emery, 1895)^[623]
• Notostigma foreli Emery, 1920

Nylanderia[]

• (Forel, 1886)
• (Mayr, 1868)
• (Forel, 1902)
• (Mayr, 1862)^[624] – Swamp parrot ant
• (Forel, 1902)
• (Forel, 1913)
• (Forel, 1901) – Forest parrot ant

Ochetellus[]

References:^[49]

• Ochetellus democles (Walker, 1839)
• Ochetellus flavipes (Kirby, 1896) – Spinifex ant
• Ochetellus glaber (Mayr, 1862)^[625] – Black house ant
• Ochetellus punctatissimus (Emery, 1887)

Odontomachus[]

References:^[315]

• Smith, 1863^[626]
• Smith, 1858^[627]
• Odontomachus simillimus Smith, 1858^[628]
• Forel, 1900 – Garden snappy ant

Oecophylla[]

• Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775)^[629] – Green tree ant

Onychomyrmex[]

• Onychomyrmex doddi Wheeler, 1916^[630]
• Onychomyrmex hedleyi Emery, 1895^[631][632]
• Onychomyrmex mjobergi Forel, 1915^[633][634]

Ooceraea[]

• (Forel, 1900) – Blind cannibal ant

Opisthopsis[]

Orectognathus[]

Papyrius[]

References:^[49]

• Papyrius flavus (Mayr, 1865)
• Papyrius nitidus (Mayr, 1862)^[650] – Red cocktail ant

Paraparatrechina[]

• (Forel, 1901)
• (Santschi, 1928)

Paratrechina[]

• Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802)^[651][652] – introduced species – Hairy ant

Parvaponera[]

• (Forel, 1893)^[653]

Peronomyrmex[]

• Shattuck & Hinkley, 2002
• Shattuck, 2006^[654]
• Viehmeyer, 1922

Pheidole[]

References:^[655]

Philidris[]

References:^[49]

• Philidris cordata (Smith, 1859)

Plagiolepis[]

References:^[41]

• Wheeler, 1934
• Wheeler, 1934
• McAreavey, 1949
• Wheeler, 1934
• (Clark, 1934)^[673]

Platythyrea[]

• (Clark, 1938)^[674]
• (Clark, 1930)
• (Clark, 1930)
• Platythyrea parallela Smith, 1859^[675] – Northern broadnosed killer ant
• Forel, 1895^[676] – Southern broadnosed killer ant

Podomyrma[]

References:^[677]

Polyrhachis[]

Ponera[]

• Emery, 1900^[757]
• Wheeler, 1933
• Forel, 1913 – Blind crypt ants
• Emery, 1900
• (Emery, 1900)

Prionopelta[]

• Prionopelta robynmae Shattuck, 2008^[758]

Pristomyrmex[]

• Taylor, 1968^{[759][760][761]}
• Taylor, 1965^[762][763]
• Wang, 2003^[764]
• (André, 1905)^[765]
• Taylor, 1965^[766][767]
• Taylor, 1965^[768][769]
• Taylor, 1968^[770][771]

Probolomyrmex[]

• Shattuck, Gunawardene & Heterick, 2012^[772]
• Taylor, 1965
• Shattuck, Gunawardene & Heterick, 2012^[773]

Proceratium[]

• de Andrade, 2003^[774]
• de Andrade, 2003^[775]
• de Andrade, 2003^[776]
• de Andrade, 2003^[777]
• de Andrade, 2003^[778]
• de Andrade, 2003^[779]
• de Andrade, 2003^[780]
• Brown, 1958^[781]

Prolasius[]

Pseudolasius[]

• Forel, 1915^[797][798]

Pseudoneoponera[]

References:^[315]

Pseudonotoncus[]

• Shattuck & O'Reilly, 2013^[801]
• Clark, 1934^[802]

Pseudoponera[]

References:^[315]

• (Clark, 1930)
• (Fabricius, 1804)^[d]

Rhopalomastix[]

• Forel, 1900^[804]

Rhopalothrix[]

• Taylor, 1968^[805]

Rhytidoponera[]

Romblonella[]

• Taylor, 1991^[831]

Solenopsis[]

• Forel, 1907
• Crawley, 1922^[832]
• Forel, 1913
• Clark, 1934^[833]
• Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius, 1804)^[e] – Ginger ant/Tropical fire ant
• Clark, 1938^[837]
• Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972^[f] – Red imported fire ant
• (Forel, 1915)^[137]

Stereomyrmex[]

• (Taylor, 1991)^[842]

Stigmacros[]

Stigmatomma[]

References:^[40][36]

• (Clark, 1928)
• (Clark, 1928)
• (Clark, 1934)^[876]
• (Clark, 1934)^[877]
• (Clark, 1934)^[878]
• (Brown, 1960)
• (Clark, 1928)

Strumigenys[]

Syllophopsis[]

• (Forel 1907)
• (Emery, 1894)
• (Emery, 1894)

Tapinoma[]

• Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793)^[g] – Ghost ant
• Tapinoma minutum Mayr, 1862^[916] – Dwarf pecdicel ant

Technomyrmex[]

\

Teratomyrmex[]

• McAreavey, 1957^[921]
• Shattuck & O'Reilly, 2013^[922]
• Shattuck & O'Reilly, 2013^[923]

Tetramorium[]

Tetraponera[]

• Tetraponera allaborans (Walker, 1859)^[930]
• (Smith, 1859)^[931]
• (Smith, 1860)^[932] – Toothed black tree-ant
• Ward, 2001^[933]
• Smith, 1877^[934][935] – Savanna black tree ant
• Ward, 2001^[936]
• Ward, 2001^[937]

Trichomyrmex[]

• Trichomyrmex destructor (Jerdon, 1851)^[938] – introduced species – Singapore ant

Turneria[]

• Turneria bidentata Forel, 1895^[939]
• Turneria frenchi Forel, 1911
• Turneria rosschinga Shattuck, 2011^[940]

Vollenhovia[]

• (Smith, 1860)^[941]

Vombisidris[]

• (Wheeler, 1934)^[942]
• (Taylor, 1989)^[943]

Wasmannia[]

• Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger, 1863)^[944] – introduced species

Zasphinctus[]

Incertae sedis[]

Species listed below were described in Australia as their type locality, but their true identities remain unknown.

• Le Guillou, 1842^[948]
• Lowne, 1865^[57]
• Lowne, 1865^[57]

See also[]

• List of ant genera
• List of ant subfamilies

Notes[]

References[]

Bibliography[]

Further reading[]

• Clark, John (1930). "New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species" (PDF). Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 43: 2–25.
• Emery, Carlo (1925). "Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae" (PDF). Genera Insectorum. 183: 1–302.
• Forel, Auguste H. (1922). "Glanures myrmécologiques en 1922" (PDF). Revue Suisse de Zoologie. 30: 87–102. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.144519. ISSN 0035-418X.
• Forel, Auguste H. (1895). "Les formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part V". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 9: 453–472.
• Forel, Auguste H. (1895). "Nouvelles fourmis de diverses provenances, surtout d'Australie" (PDF). Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 39: 41–49.
• Forel, Auguste H. (1879). "Études myrmécologiques en 1879 (deuxième partie [1re partie en 1878])" (PDF). Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles. 16: 53–128.
• Roger, Julius (1863). "Verzeichniss der Formiciden-Gattungen und Arten". Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift. 7 (1–2): i–ii. doi:10.1002/mmnd.18630070123.
• Taylor, Robert W. (February 1992). "Nomenclature and distribution of some Australian and New Guinean ants of the subfamily Formicinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Australian Journal of Entomology. 31 (1): 57–69. doi:10.1111/j.1440-6055.1992.tb00458.x.
• Viehmeyer, Hugo (1925). "Formiciden der australischen Faunenregion. (Schluß)". Entomologische Mitteilungen. 14: 139–149.

External links[]

• Ants are everywhere – Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
• Ants: Family Formicidae – Australian Museum