TNZOR Formicidae

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Notes

• the number and identity of Iridomyrmex species established in New Zealand still isn't entirely clear, and Heterick & Shattuck (2011) only examined a very limited amount of material from New Zealand
• Heterick & Shattuck (2011) discuss 3 species in relation to New Zealand, I. anceps, I. rufoniger and I. suchieri, with only the latter species claimed by them to be established, i.e. ' Iridomyrmex suchieri is arguably one of the most significant Iridomyrmex species. Populations are found in all Australian states, and the ant is a minor peridomestic nuisance in New Zealand, where it has become established in the North Island, in Nelson in the South Island and on some offshore islands (Don, 2007)' - Heterick & Shattuck (2011: 144-145)
• Heterick & Shattuck (2011: 13) stated that 'a few species have apparently been dispersed outside Australia through human activities. These include I. rufoniger (New Caledonia, New Zealand, Brazil) and I. suchieri (Fiji, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Phillip Island)', but this is not meant to imply the establishment of either species in New Zealand, only that the species have at least been intercepted at New Zealand ports
• the caption to Heterick & Shattuck (2011: 134, fig. 69) reads ' Iridomyrmex rufoniger (Canberra, ACT, ANIC32-023677): A. Front of head; B. Side of body; C. Top of body; D. Distribution of material examined (excluding the introduced New Zealand population) ', but this is misleading, for there is no 'introduced New Zealand population' according to the authors, only interceptions, i.e., 'specimens of the relatively glabrous coastal New South Wales phenotype [of I. rufoniger] have been intercepted in NZ at the ports of Auckland and Freyberg [=Freyberg Wharf, Ports of Auckland!], but the species has not yet become established in NZ' - Heterick & Shattuck (2011: 135)
• 'A case in point is where a mildly invasive Iridomyrmex recognised from New Zealand (mainly from the North Island) was wrongly identified as I. anceps for many years, based on a provisional initial identification by Dr. R.W. Taylor. The exotic ant is now known to be unrelated to I. anceps (Don, 2007). The ant has recently been ascribed to ‘the suchieri group’ (A. Andersen, pers. comm. cited in Don, 2007), and, in the opinion of the present authors, is likely to be I. suchieri itself' - Heterick & Shattuck (2011: 42)
• therefore, only I. suchieri should be put on the New Zealand list at present, on the authority of Heterick & Shattuck (2011), who, strictly speaking, only consider the identification to be "likely"

References

• Heterick, B.E.; Shattuck, S. 2011: Revision of the ant genus Iridomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa, 2845: 1–175. Preview