Shield Ant at Cook, ACT
Identification history
| Meranoplus sp. (genus) | 29 May 2019 | JonLewis | ||
| Meranoplus sp. (genus) | 29 May 2019 | JonLewis | ||
| Unidentified | 28 May 2019 | CathB |
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User's notes
Sorry for the picture quality, but very small and very busy. Possibly the same as sighting 4223746, which is clearer.
2 comments
JonLewis
wrote:
29 May 2019
Hi Cath, thanks for this sighting. This is the first record of this genus for CNM - nice work! Even though the photos are not perfect, you can see the diagnostic features pretty well - a small, chunky ant with broad head and, most importantly, the back of the body is broadened along the top surface to form a sort of shield over it. The other sighting (4223746) is the same genus, but is a queen, which doesn't have the same shield on the back as it would get in the way of the wings. This ant is noted for often playing dead (known scientifically as thanatosis) when disturbed, but apparently not when you were trying to take the photos! Cheers, Jon
CathB
wrote:
29 May 2019
Thanks Jon. I have just been looking at some pictures of these online, and they are quite beautiful. I will keep an eye out for more and hope they play dead so I can get some better pictures!
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Nearby sightings
Location information
- Coordinates 149.074345-35.268546
- Maps Mount Painter
- Places Cook, ACT
Sighting information
- 4 - 15 Abundance
- 28 Dec 2018 07:30 AM Recorded on
- CathB Recorded by
Additional information
- Less than 5mm Animal size
Species information
- Meranoplus sp. (genus) Scientific name
- Shield Ant Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-Invasive
- Up to 690.3m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
- External link More information
Record quality
- Overall Fit for scientific/research use
- 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
