Alice Springs Desert Park
ASDP InsectsAmegilla chlorocyanea Bee Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) Braunsapis sp Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Day Flying Moth Exoneurella eremophila Bee Ground Shield Bug Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Katydid (Taeniomenae) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Opisthopsis sp Potter Wasp Processionary Caterpillar Snout Beetle (Lixus) Torymus Chalcid Wasp Transverse Ladybird
Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House
The genus Opisthopsis sp are commonly known as the Strobe Ant and belong to the subfamily Formicinae. At time of writing, there are currently 13 species listed for Australasia.
The Strobe Ant pictured here on the Golden Everlasting (Xerochrysum bracteatum) from the Alice Springs Desert Park is likely to be the species Opisthopsis haddoni (with the common name of Haddon’s Strobe Ant) or the subspecies Opisthopsis haddoni ssp. rufoniger.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Superfamily: Vespoidea
- Family: Formicidae
- Subfamily: Formicinae
- Tribe: Camponotini
- Genus: Opisthopsis
- Species:
- Opisthopsis diadematus Wheeler, 1918
- Opisthopsis haddoni Emery, 1893
- Opisthopsis halmaherae Karavaiev, 1930
- Opisthopsis jocosus Wheeler, 1918
- Opisthopsis lienosus Wheeler, 1918
- Opisthopsis linnaei Forel, 1901
- Opisthopsis major Forel, 1902
- Opisthopsis manni Wheeler, 1918
- Opisthopsis maurus Wheeler, 1918
- Opisthopsis panops Bolton, 1995
- Opisthopsis pictus Emery, 1895
- Opisthopsis respiciens (Smith, 1865)
- Opisthopsis rufithorax Emery, 1895
- Subspecies: Opisthopsis haddoni ssp. rufoniger
Footnote & References
- Many thanks to Stephanie Catterall-Taylor for ID, member of Amateur Entomology Australia, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/476897096018877/
- Opisthopsis Emery, 1893, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/9f1681df-15a7-42b2-ac6e-a6642a94ac2e
- Strobe Ants (Genus Opisthopsis), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/362769-Opisthopsis
- Haddon’s Strobe Ant (Opisthopsis haddoni), ausemade, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/190771597
ASDP InsectsAmegilla chlorocyanea Bee Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) Braunsapis sp Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Day Flying Moth Exoneurella eremophila Bee Ground Shield Bug Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Katydid (Taeniomenae) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Opisthopsis sp Potter Wasp Processionary Caterpillar Snout Beetle (Lixus) Torymus Chalcid Wasp Transverse Ladybird
ASDP FaunaASDP Arachnida ASDP Birds ASDP Insects ASDP Reptiles Dingo Ghost Bat Greater Bilby Numbat Red Kangaroo Short-beaked Echidna Spinifex Hopping Mouse Thorny Devil Western Quoll
Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House