Polyrhachis trapezoidea

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Polyrhachis trapezoidea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Polyrhachis
Subgenus: Hagiomyrma
Species group: trapezoidea
Species: P. trapezoidea
Binomial name
Polyrhachis trapezoidea
Mayr, 1876

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Specimen Labels

Polyrhachis trapezoidea is relatively common in open eucalypt forests and savannah woodlands and, like most of other Hagiomyrma species, nests in the ground.

Identification

A member of the trapezoidea species-group in the Polyrhachis subgenus Hagiomyrma. Kohout (2013) - Polyrhachis trapezoidea is very similar to Polyrhachis aurora with the main distinguishing characters given in the remarks under the latter species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

The known distribution of P. trapezoidea extends from Torres Strait south to about Gladstone, with reports of its occurrence in the northern part of the Northern Territory (Andersen, 2000).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -10.61666667° to -26°.

   
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Male evidently in NHMW. Immature stages (eggs, larvae in various stages of development and pupae) in QM spirit collection.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • trapezoidea. Polyrhachis trapezoidea Mayr, 1876: 72 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in P. (Hagiomyrma): Forel, 1915b: 108. Subspecies of ammon: Forel, 1915b: 108. Revived status as species: Emery, 1925b: 185; Taylor & Brown, D.R. 1985: 142.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Kohout (2013) - (syntypes cited first): TL c. 8.92-9.07, 7.61-9.42; HL 2.18-2.21, 1.87-2.21; HW 1.84, 1.53-1.90; CI 83-84, 80-85; SL 2.50-2.53, 2.15-2.71; SI 136-137, 128-140; PW 1.68, 1.37-1.78; MW 0.72-0.84; PMI 197-221; MTL 2.87-3.03, 2.50-3.21 (2+13 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin with denticulate, shallowly ‘V’-shaped emarginate, median flange. Clypeus with blunt median carina; almost straight in profile with virtually flat basal margin. Frontal carinae sinuate with weakly raised margins; central area relatively wide with distinct frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes converging towards mandibular bases; behind eyes, sides narrowly rounding into weakly convex occipital margin. Eyes convex, in full face view marginally breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal and mesonotal dorsa distinctly converging posteriorly; pronotal humeri rounded with raised margins; promesonotal suture distinctly impressed, metanotal groove poorly indicated. Lateral margins of propodeum weakly divergent, terminating in more-or-less horizontal, acute spines with tips bent slightly outwards and upwards. Petiole with relatively wide, posteriorly sloping dorsum and horizontal, widely divergent, acute spines.

Mandibles finely, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits. Head and mesosoma finely reticulate-punctate; gaster finely shagreened.

Mandibular masticatory borders with medium length, variously curved, golden hairs. Very short, erect, bristle-like golden hairs on dorsa of head, mesosoma and petiole; gaster with somewhat longer hairs, notably around apex and on venter. Mostly golden, closely appressed pubescence in various densities on most dorsal surfaces; pubescence distinctly medially radiating, denser and with somewhat brassy hue along dorsal midline of mesosoma, completely hiding underlying sculpturation. Dorsum of gaster with abundant, rather pale golden pubescence, progressively more silvery towards sides and venter; first gastral tergite medially with rather narrow, rich golden median patch that widens posteriorly.

Black, with only narrow reddish-brown band along mandibular masticatory borders.

Queen

Kohout (2013) - (syntype cited first): TL c. 9.68, 9.63-11.09; HL 2.18, 2.18-2.31; HW 1.72, 1.72-1.84; CI 79, 79-80; SL 2.31, 2.31-2.46; SI 134, 132-138; PW 1.96, 1.96-2.21; MTL 2.77, 2.81-2.90 (5 measured).

Apart from sexual characters, very similar to worker except: pronotal humeri bluntly angular; lateral margins slightly raised and weakly rounded posteriorly. Mesoscutum with dorsum flat, as wide as long in dorsal view; median line bifurcate anteriorly; parapsides only slightly raised posteriorly. Mesoscutellum flat, not elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma. Propodeal dorsum convex with spines shorter than worker, subparallel and slightly bent downwards. Petiole as in worker with spines shorter. Sculpturation, pilosity, pubescence and colour virtually identical to worker.

Type Material

References

  • Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 185, Revived status as species)
  • Forel, A. 1915b. Results of Dr. E. Mjöbergs Swedish Scientific Expeditions to Australia 1910-13. 2. Ameisen. Ark. Zool. 9(1 16: 1-119 (page 108, Combination in P. (Hagiomyrma))
  • Forel, A. 1915b. Results of Dr. E. Mjöbergs Swedish Scientific Expeditions to Australia 1910-13. 2. Ameisen. Ark. Zool. 9(1 16: 1-119 (page 108, Race of ammon)
  • Kohout, R.J. 2013. Revision of Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) Wheeler, 1911 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, Nature 56, 487-577.
  • Mayr, G. 1876. Die australischen Formiciden. J. Mus. Godeffroy 12: 56-115 (page 72, worker, queen, male described)
  • Taylor, R. W.; Brown, D. R. 1985. Formicoidea. Zool. Cat. Aust. 2:1- 149: 1-149, 30 (page 142, Revived status as species)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Andersen A. N., and A. V. Spain. 1996. The ant fauna of the Bowen Basin, in the Semi-arid Tropics of Central Queensland (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Australian Journal of Entomology 35: 213-221.
  • Kohout R. J. 2000. A review of the distribution of the Polyrhachis and Echinopla ants of the Queensland wet tropics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 46: 183-209
  • Kohout R.J. 2013. Revision of Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) Wheeler, 1911 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature 56: 487–577
  • Taylor R. W. 1987. A checklist of the ants of Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Division of Entomology Report 41: 1-92.