''Iridomyrmex alpinus'' is a species of
ant of the genus ''
Iridomyrmex
''Iridomyrmex'' is a genus of ants called rainbow ants (referring to their blue-green iridescent sheen) first described by Austrian entomologist Gustav Mayr in 1862. He placed the genus in the subfamily Dolichoderinae of the family Formicida ...
''. It was described by Heterick and Shattuck in 2011.
Distribution
The ant is found in wet areas in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
Victoria and
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
. Specimens were found in alpine areas, alpine heath, grassland and in
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaf, leaves, short Internode (botany), internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is paral ...
, either wet or dry, at elevations of 2,000 metres. These ants can establish nests under large stones, rotting wood, under dead piles of leaves and twigs, and workers have been found foraging in litter and alpine vegetation.
[ A large number of specimens have been collected to the ]Australian National Insect Collection
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency responsible for scientific research.
CSIRO works with leading organisations around the world. From its headquarters in Canberra, CSIRO ...
.[
]
Etymology
The Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word ''alpinus'' translates as alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National Pa ...
, which refers to the habitat the ant lives in.[
]
References
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13368834
Iridomyrmex
Hymenoptera of Australia
Insects described in 2011