Landcare Research - Manaaki Whenua

Landcare-Research -Manaaki Whenua

Ants of New Zealand: Factsheets

Image – Richard Toft ©Entecol

List of the ant species endemic to or established in New Zealand (including two species found on the Kermadec Islands) (Ward 2005).

The species name is also linked to a web-based factsheet.

This version includes several taxonomic and nomenclature changes, including using:

  • the generic name Nylanderia is now used for what was species of Paratrechina (LaPolla, J.S.; Brady, S.G.; Shattuck, S.O. 2010: Phylogeny and taxonomy of the Prenolepis genus-group of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic entomology, 35: 118-131;
  • the name Technomyrmex jocsus, (and not T. albipes), as a result of Bolton’s (2007) revision, where T. albipes was a misidentification for New Zealand;
  • the name Monomorium antipodum, rather than M. fieldi (see Gunawardana 2005), as M. antipodum as priority;
  • the name Prolasius advenus (and not P. advena) to be consistent with Bolton (1995) and apply the proper Latin ending to the species name;
  • using Paratrechina spp. to depict the species of Paratrechina currently in New Zealand. There may be up to three species and scientists are currently working on what they are and how to tell them apart;
  • and adding a new species, Hypoponera confinis, which was discovered near Wellington in 2006.

References ››

Common names are often not available at the species level, but common names for the genus are given.

Available factsheets

Amblyoponinae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Amblyopone australis Erichson 1842 Introduced Southern Michelin ant
Amblyopone saundersi Forel 1892 Endemic New Zealand Michelin ant

Dolichoderinae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Doleromyrma darwiniana (Forel 1907) Introduced Darwin's ant (Keall 1979)
Iridomyrmex undescribed Introduced Flat-backed tyrant ants (species group common name - Andersen 2002)
Linepithema humile (Mayr 1868) Introduced Argentine ant
Ochetellus glaber (Mayr 1862) Introduced Black house ant (Andersen 2002)
Technomyrmex jocosus Forel 1910 Introduced White-footed house ant

Ectatomminae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Rhytidoponera chalybaea Emery 1901 Introduced Blue pony ants (for impressa species group - Andersen 2002)
Rhytidoponera metallica (Fr. smith 1858) Introduced Metallic pony ants (Andersen 2002)

Formicinae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Nylanderia spp Introduced Generic common name – parrot ants (derived phonetically from genus name - Andersen 2002)
Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery 1894 Introduced little yellow ant
Prolasius advenus (Fr. Smith 1862) Endemic Small brown bush ant (Ferro et al. 1977)

Heteroponerinae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Heteroponera brouni (Forel 1892) Endemic Crypt ants (Andersen 2002)

Myrmicinae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Cardiocondyla minutior Forel 1899 Introduced None
Huberia brounii Forel 1895 Endemic None
Huberia striata (Fr. Smith 1876) Endemic Striated ant (Ferro et al. 1977)
Mayriella abstinens Forel 1902 Introduced None
Monomorium antarcticum (Fr. Smith 1858) Endemic Southern ant (Ferro et al. 1977)
Monomorium antipodum Forel 1901 Endemic tiny brown ant (Ferro et al. 1977)
Monomorium floricola (Jerdon 1851) Introduced bicoloured trailing ant (Deyrup et al. 2000), floral ant (www55), futairo-hime-ari (www1)
Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus 1758) Introduced Pharaoh ant (Bosik 1997), Ie-hime-ari in Japan (WWW 1). Also referred to as Pharaoh's ant (Valentine & Walker 1991), Pharaoh's Trailing ant (WWW2)
Monomorium smithii Forel 1892 Endemic None
Monomorium sydneyense Forel 1902 Introduced None reported
Orectognathus antennatus Fr. Smith 1853 Introduced Goblin ants (Andersen 2002)
Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius 1793) Introduced Big-headed ant (Andersen 2002) (Generic and species common name). Also known as brown house-ant, coastal brown-ant, lion ant, African Big-headed ant
Pheidole proxima Mayr 1876 Introduced big-headed ant
Pheidole rugosula Forel 1902 Introduced Big-headed ant (Andersen 2002) (Generic common name)
Pheidole vigilans Fr. Smith 1858 Introduced Big-headed ant (Andersen 2002) (Generic common name)
Solenopsis undescribed Introduced The common name " Thief ants" is used for members of the sub-genus (Diplorhoptrum) native to Australia (Andersen 2002): known to steal food from nests of other ants (Shattuck 1999).
Strumigenys perplexa (Fr. Smith 1876) Introduced Snappy detritus ants (Andersen 2002) (Generic common name)
Strumigenys xenos Brown 1955 Introduced Snappy detritus ants (Andersen 2002) (Generic common name)
Tetramorium bicarinatum (Nylander 1846) Introduced Pennant ants (Andersen 2002) (Generic common name)
Tetramorium grassii Emery 1895 Introduced Pennant ants (Andersen 2002) (Generic common name)

Ponerinae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Hypoponera confinis (Roger 1860) Introduced crypt ant
Hypoponera eduardi (Forel 1894) Introduced Crypt ants (Andersen 2002)
Hypoponera punctatissima (Roger 1859) Introduced Roger’s ant (Delabie & Blard 2002), Tropical stinging ant (www9)
Pachycondyla castanea (Mayr 1865) Endemic None
Pachycondyla castaneicolor (Dalla Torre 1893) Endemic None
Ponera leae Forel 1913 Introduced Blind crypt ants (Andersen 2002)

Proceratiinae

Genus species Authority Biostatus Common name
Discothyrea antarctica Emery 1895 Endemic Clubbed trigger ant (Andersen 2002)