Iridomyrmex

Iridomyrmex purpureus

Iridomyrmex is a genus of ants. They occur with 79 species and subspecies of India and China to Australia and New Caledonia. A further seven species are known from fossil finds. With 63 species present, they are the richest and most common species of ants in Australia.

Features

The leading edge of the front plate ( clypeus ) is modified differently than other types of glands ants and has corrugated regions, and has a more or less pronounced bulge in the center forward over the mandibles. The compound eyes are relatively high on the head.

Way of life

The animals are particularly relevant as they interact with some invertebrates and plants for the ecological balance. The ants usually form large nests that are strong and aggressive guarded. Therefore, other ant species are reduced in the vicinity or heavily restricted in their lifestyle. In most cases, it is possible only to those species in the vicinity of them to live, hunt for completely different times of the day or are substantially fortified, as the Iridomyrmex species. Not only foreign species of ants are being attacked but also territorial fights it be waged against neighboring nests of the same ant genus.

Nutrition

Most Iridomyrmex species are scavengers. However, they also feed on predatory, milking the honeydew of plant lice or collect nectar. Hunting is done depending on the type, either individually or in organized groups.

Send Some plant species from a scent that attracts the ants. This bear their fruit in their nest to feed their protein-rich appendage ( elaiosomes ). The seeds are but brought back from the nest and have good development prospects in the "controlled " environment of the ants.

Nesting

The nests are built in the ground, either with or without a hill. The peoples living in it vary from several hundred to 300,000 individuals. Together with several colonies Some species, such as Iridomyrmex purpureus form large nest communities that can reach up to 650 meters in length.

Natural enemies

Some animals have specialized specifically on the hunt for Iridomyrmex species. There are some species of spiders who specializes in these ants; this can partly even perceive the pheromones of ants, then targeted eg attack injured animals. Also, there are bugs that are hidden near the ant nests in the ground hunt for individual animals. Even the Thorny Devil ( Moloch horridus ) feeds mainly on ants of the genus Iridomyrmex. Launched by the Australian meat ant ( engl. "Meat ant", Iridomyrmex purpureus, alternatively Iridomyrmex detectus ) contains against their enemies secreted defensive secretions Iridodial, the parent compound of the group of iridoids, whose name was derived from the genus name of the ants.