http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html These are one of the most commonly encountered group of ants in Australia. They dominate the ecosystem and in fact dictate the foraging and activity pattern of ants around them. The only manner in which other ants manage to inhabit the same niche is by foraging at different times of the day compared to Iridomyrmex. These ants are highly territorial and display ritual dances at the territorial boundaries which often involves kickboxing and standing on tips of their legs like ballet dancers! They establish polydomous terrestrial nests, with nest entrances often covered with small pebbles. Nearly 80 species and subspecies are known from this genus (Australian Ants Online). http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#0 5a29cae1-9fdc-4b04-8340-25314487d803 http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0387.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0387.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0387.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Worker of the meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp cleans its legs by drawing it between the mandibles.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#1 7c0c2258-e86c-4d93-b57e-be3620ba8f12 http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0390.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0390.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0390.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Workers of the meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp hold territorial displays.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#2 d4d9cce4-63e7-42e0-a9ce-af035c488e0d http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0396.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0396.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0396.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">A close view of forager of the meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#3 2a0cc503-59e0-4e9a-b92a-dea42d03526b http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0397.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0397.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0397.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Forager of the meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#4 34ff0adf-5635-4073-8ab7-2c6a4e379011 http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0440.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0440.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_0440.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">The meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp wings a fight with </span><span class="style_4">Myrmecia croslandi</span><span class="style_3">.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#5 b9992414-6c58-4504-ad34-d3d374acc751 http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1177.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1177.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1177.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Forager of the meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#6 317251ae-5fec-41e7-ab42-988db784eb49 http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1180.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1180.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1180.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Forager of the meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#7 e96e335e-f96d-4ac0-87b8-2ca964eec5a4 http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1186.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1186.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1186.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Forager of the meat ant </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp.<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#8 1c76777b-d7d2-4de5-80a3-5ab52c8d5d0c http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1191.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1191.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1191.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Ritualised territorial dance display by the meat ant, </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div> http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex.html#9 8483e4d3-d055-49e4-beac-d978b2a2fa6f http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1197_1.jpg?derivative=thumb http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1197_1.jpg?derivative=micro http://web.me.com/ajaynarendra/Ants/Dolichoderinae/Pages/Iridomyrmex_files/Media/IMG_1197_1.jpg?derivative=mip <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_0_0"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Ritualised territorial dances in the meat ant, </span><span class="style_4">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span><span class="style_3"> sp gp<br/></span></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3"><span class="style_3">Canberra, AUS</span></p></div></div>