FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis femorata (Southern Broad-nosed Spiny Ant) Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus, commonly known as the Red-headed Spider Ant, have been recorded in a variety of habitats including dry and wet sclerophyll, rainforest and beach scrub. The vast majority of current sightings have been down the east coast of Australia, from north of the Sunshine Coast, down through Sydney, Sapphire Coast, Lakes Entrance, Traralgon and region north of Melbourne.

Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Burrinjuck NSW © Tony Eales
Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant), Burrinjuck NSW © Tony Eales

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Verspoidea
  • Family: Formicidae
  • Subfamily: Dolichoderinae
  • Genus: Leptomyrmex
  • Species: Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus

Footnote & References

  1. Red-headed Spider Ant (Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus), Photographs © Deb Taylor
  2. Red-headed Spider Ant Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus, debtaylor142, iNaturalistAU, https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&subview=map&taxon_id=129515&user_id=debtaylor142
  3. Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) © Tony Eales
  4. Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Fabricius, 1775), Atlas of Living Australia, Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Fabricius, 1775), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/225e4e14-d55e-4c8c-ba91-ab8106c70b83
  5. Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus, AntWiki, https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Leptomyrmex_erythrocephalus

FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis femorata (Southern Broad-nosed Spiny Ant) Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub