Iridomyrmex purpureus
Meat Ant at Bonython, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Iridomyrmex purpureus | JonLewis | 15 Feb 2021 | |
| Iridomyrmex purpureus | RodDeb | 14 Feb 2021 |
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User's notes
One carried a stick and put it off the path. Had to move the GPS spot as it was in the water, way off where they were.
4 comments
14 Feb 2021
Hi RodDeb, yes, the last three photos are Iridomyrmex purpureus, but the first two are Camponotus aeneopilosus (about the same size but black with golden fuzz on the gaster, which looks a orangy-coloured in the photos). Can you turn this into two seperate observations? Cheers, Jon
14 Feb 2021
Hi Jon,
thank you, have separated them. Apologies to the Ants for thinking they were the same, and thank you for knowing better :)
thank you, have separated them. Apologies to the Ants for thinking they were the same, and thank you for knowing better :)
15 Feb 2021
No worries. And, by the way, the second photo here shows typical territorial display between two different meat ant colonies. The way the ants are standing up really high on their legs and holding themselves in a stiff posture is part of their ritualised fighting display where they assert ownership of a territory without having to actually fight each other. There is nice information on this at the following link. Cheers, Jon
https://antwiki.org/wiki/Ritualised_fighting_in_Iridomyrmex_purpureus
https://antwiki.org/wiki/Ritualised_fighting_in_Iridomyrmex_purpureus
Location information
- Coordinates 149.070800-35.429436
- Altitude 593.1m
- Maps Stranger Pond
- Places Bonython, ACT
Sighting information
- 4 - 15 Abundance
- 14 Feb 2021 01:55 PM Recorded on
- RodDeb Recorded by
- 5mm to 12mm Animal size
Collections
- RodDeb Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Iridomyrmex purpureus Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Insects
Species information
- Iridomyrmex purpureus Scientific name
- Meat Ant Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 963.87m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
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Synonyms
Iridomyrmex purpurea
Record quality
Quality score
6 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Description
- Additional attributes
- GPS evidence of location