Functional Queens in the Australian Greenhead Ant, Rhytidoponera Metallica: (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

In most species of the Indo-Australian ant genus, Rhytidoponera, deciduously winged queens are rare or absent, their place being taken by reproductively functional workers (Whelden, 1957, 1960; Haskins & Welden, 1965; Ward, 1981, 1984; Pamilo et al., 1985). A polygynous colony structure, with several mated workers in lieu of a queen, is the normal mode of colony organization in the common Australian greenhead ant, Rhytidoponera metallica F. Smith (Whelden, 1960; Haskins & Whelden, 1965; Haskins & Haskins, 1983), and queenright colonies of this species have not been reported. A few alate or dealate females are known in collections, and Haskins & Whelden (1965) noted the sporadic production of alate queens in laboratory colonies of R. metallica. However behavioral observations by these authors suggested that the queens had lost the ability to found colonies. In this paper I document the occurrence of functional queens in R. metallica, describe colony foundation and growth under laboratory conditions, and discuss the significance of occasional queen production in this species.