FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants More Ants in Australia Caste Systems, Colonies and Anthills Invasive Ants in Australia Camponotus Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Camponotus innexus (Antarctic Sugar Ant) Chelaner kiliani (Mono Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Dolichoderus scabridus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia mandibularis Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Myrmecia tarsata (Australian Jumper Ant) Notoncus gilberti Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

Chelaner kiliani, a small species of ant, commonly known as the Mono Ant. The genus Chelaner are a group of small to medium ants, between 2-7 mm in length, that are commonly monomorphic (a species or population showing little or no variation in morphology or phenotype).

Chelaner kiliani are considered “cold weather specialists” and can often be seen walking around on very cold mornings.

Current observations (ALA and iNaturalistAU) show this species mainly in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, with limited sightings in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.

Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani), Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani), Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani) with Gum Tree Scale (Acanthococcus coriaceus), Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani) with Gum Tree Scale (Acanthococcus coriaceus), Belair SA © Marianne Broug

Chelaner kiliani seen feasting on a deceased Hemicordulia Tau (Tau Emerald dragonfly) in Crafers – Bridgewater, South Australia.

Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani), Belair SA © Marianne Broug
Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani), Belair SA © Marianne Broug

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Vespoidea
  • Family: Formicidae
  • Subfamily: Myrmicinae
  • Tribe: Solenopsidini
  • Genus: Chelaner
  • Species: Chelaner kiliani

Footnote & References

  1. Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani), Photographs © Marianne Broug
  2. Chelaner kiliani (Forel, 1902), Ant, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Chelaner kiliani
  3. Mono Ant (Chelaner kiliani), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/1286771-Chelaner-kiliani

FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants More Ants in Australia Caste Systems, Colonies and Anthills Invasive Ants in Australia Camponotus Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Camponotus innexus (Antarctic Sugar Ant) Chelaner kiliani (Mono Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Dolichoderus scabridus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia mandibularis Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Myrmecia tarsata (Australian Jumper Ant) Notoncus gilberti Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

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