Australian ants     

     South-western Australia is not only a hotspot of plant endemicity; it is also a wonderland for the ant enthusiast. At the higher taxonomic level, a staggering 12 subfamilies have been recorded from this area, which is far smaller than the island of Madagascar. This figure compares favourably with the entire continents of North America and Africa. Sixty-one ant genera have also been recorded, many more than from Madagascar. At least one monotypic genus (Nebothriomyrmex) appears to be restricted to the south-west, while another genus (close to Cerapachys) may need to be erected for a second ant.
     The total number of species is likely to far exceed 500, the latter figure itself being approximately 10 times the ant fauna found in the United Kingdom.

     I have recently submitted for publication by the WA Museum a monograph that attempts to put some sort of framework to discussion concerning this outstanding fauna. In my work, 'The ants of South-western Australia /A Comprehensive Guide to the Fauna of the South-west Botanical Province' I include a key to the workers of all the constituent taxa, both described species and undescribed morphospecies, that I know. (No previous work on ants in this country has attempted a regional analysis at this level, although several books by Dr. Alan Andersen do discuss many species and species-groups, and Dr. Steve Shattuck has produced a seminal book on the Australian ant genera.) This key covers almost 500 species and morphospecies. As well as a key, each ant is at least mentioned in a comprehensive discussion, and any available information that can be attached to each taxon has been included. Some of the ecological and behavioural information has not been previously recorded. The work also includes nine colour plates, 14 SEM photomicrographs, over 700 line drawings, an exhaustive glossary, known distribution records for each taxon and short essays on relevant topics.

     Since perhaps a little less than half of the ant species found in
South-western Australia remain to be formally described, this region has
much to offer the student interested in taxonomy and also other areas of
formicology."

Regards,

Dr. Brian Heterick
Associate Lecturer
Department of Environmental Biology
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U1987
Perth WA 6845
AUSTRALIA'