Papyrius nitidus

Shining Coconut Ant at Deakin, ACT

Papyrius nitidus at Deakin, ACT - 23 Mar 2018
Papyrius nitidus at Deakin, ACT - 23 Mar 2018
Papyrius nitidus at Deakin, ACT - 23 Mar 2018
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Identification history

Papyrius nitidus 25 Mar 2018 MichaelMulvaney
Unidentified 23 Mar 2018 JackyF

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Significant sighting

MichaelMulvaney noted:

25 Mar 2018

A new location for this ant species, whose nests are where larvae of one possibly two rare butterfly species are raised.

User's notes

Smallish light brown ants tending small white fluffy objects, possibly scale, on stem of tree, inside several clumps of dead brown plant matter formed into nests around trunk of sapling.

3 comments

   25 Mar 2018
Jacky can you go back and squash one of the ants and tell me whether it smells very strongly of coconut oil, this could be a significant find. Thanks Michael
JackyF wrote:
   25 Mar 2018
Michael yes, distinctive pleasant coconut smell, like desiccated coconut. Walking companion agrees. On closer inspection ants are in an offshoot of a cut down burnt stump, not a sapling. Will email you photo showing location.
   26 Mar 2018
Jacky if you click on the edit button you can load you extra two photos into this record - thanks for undertaking the smell test - another significant find in the vicinity of Section 66

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 101 - 1,000 Abundance
  • 23 Mar 2018 03:13 PM Recorded on
  • JackyF Recorded by

Additional information

  • Small gum sapling Associated plant
  • 5mm to 12mm Animal size

Species information

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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