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Rhytidoponera aspera, Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor

Rhytidoponera aspera

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 Iridomyrmex purpureus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia forficata (Inchman 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) Opisthopsis rufithorax Polyrhachis Pseudoneoponera sublaevis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

Rhytidoponera aspera, whose common name is Rough Blue Pony Ant, are a light metallic blue colour. They are similar in size to Rhytidoponera metallica, with workers being between 4-7 mm in length and the queen between 8-10 mm in length. Rhytidoponera aspera differs in that the legs and mandibles are almost reddish in colour, compared with that of Rhytidoponera metallica which are more brown in colour.

Rhytidoponera aspera, Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Rhytidoponera aspera, Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Rhytidoponera aspera, Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Rhytidoponera aspera, Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Rhytidoponera aspera, Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Rhytidoponera aspera, Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Verspoidea
  • Family: Formicidae
  • Subfamily: Ectatomminae
  • Genus: Rhytidoponera
  • Species: Rhytidoponera aspera

Footnote & References

  1. Rhytidoponera aspera, Photographs © Deb Taylor
  2. Rhytidoponera aspera (Roger, 1860), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Rhytidoponera aspera
  3. Rhytidoponera aspera, NatureMapr, https://canberra.naturemapr.org/sightings/4249750

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 Iridomyrmex purpureus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia forficata (Inchman 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) Opisthopsis rufithorax Polyrhachis Pseudoneoponera sublaevis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

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