Key to New Guinea Polyrhachis Cyrtomyrma

This worker key is based on: Kohout, R. J. 2006b. Review of Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) of Australia, Borneo, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with descriptions of new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 52:87-146.

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• Polyrhachis
• Cyrtomyrma

1

• Pronotal humeri in dorsal view toothed, obtusely angular, or narrowly rounded; greatest width of pronotal dorsum across, or just behind shoulders . . . . . 2

• Pronotal humeri in dorsal view widely rounded; greatest width of pronotal dorsum at about mid-length of segment . . . . . 10

2

return to couplet #1

• Propodeum armed with a pair of more-or-less distinct spines . . . . . 3

• Propodeum totally unarmed . . . . . 7

3

return to couplet #2

• Pronotal humeri bilobed or produced into prominent teeth . . . . . 4

• Pronotal shoulders angular or narrowly rounded . . . . . 5

4

return to couplet #3

• Propodeal spines long, dorso-ventrally compressed, widely diverging and bluntly terminated (Aru Is) . . . . . Polyrhachis levior

• Propodeal spines very short, upturned and acute . . . . . Polyrhachis albertisi

5

return to couplet #3

• Propodeal spines long, dorsoventrally compressed, widely diverging and bluntly terminated; lateral petiolar spines distinctly longer than dorsal pair . . . . . Polyrhachis barryi (in part - also #15)

• Propodeal spines short, acute, strongly upturned . . . . . 6

6

return to couplet #5

• Larger species (HL >1.68) . . . . . Polyrhachis linae

• Smaller species (HL 1.56) . . . . . Polyrhachis mondoi

7

return to couplet #2

• Pronotal shoulders produced into prominent teeth (Aru Is) . . . . . Polyrhachis aruensis

• Pronotal shouders angular or narrowly rounded . . . . . 8

8

return to couplet #7

• Larger species (HL 2.09); head very broad with eyes rather flat, in full face view not reaching lateral cephalic outline (Bismarck Archipelago) . . . . . Polyrhachis ralumensis

• Smaller species (HL <1.76); eyes convex, in full face view clearly extending beyond lateral cephalic outline . . . . . 9

9

return to couplet #8

• Pronotal dorsum with anterior face distinctly convex in profile; propodeal declivity oblique; legs orange or light red . . . . . Polyrhachis rastellata

• Pronotal dorsum with anterior face almost straight in profile; propodeal declivity virtually vertical; legs very dark reddish-brown . . . . . Polyrhachis strumosa

10

return to couplet #1

• Propodeum armed with a pair of more-or-less distinct spines or tubercles . . . . . . 11

• Propodeum totally unarmed . . . . . 17

11

return to couplet #10

• Pronotal dorsum in profile elevated, distinctly convex . . . . . 12

• Pronotal dorsum only weakly convex or flat . . . . . 13

12

return to couplet #11

• Lateral petiolar spines distinctly elongated; summit of pronotal dorsum only marginally higher than dorsum of mesonotum (Seram I.) . . . . . Polyrhachis goramensis

• Lateral petiolar spines very short, rudimentary; summit of pronotal dorsum distinctly higher than dorsum of mesonotum . . . . . Polyrhachis integra

13

return to couplet #11

• Larger species (HL >1.55) . . . . . 14

• Smaller species (HL <1.50) . . . . . . 16

14

return to couplet #13

• Propodeal spines well developed, dorso-ventrally compressed; pronotal humeri rounded, weakly subangular . . . . . 15

• Propodeal spines rudimentary or present only as distinct tuberculae; pronotal humeri evenly rounded; petiole strongly transverse with dorsal spines reduced to minute denticles, lateral spines slender, widely diverging . . . . . Polyrhachis wagneri

15

return to couplet #14

• Petiole with spines more-or-less subequal; propodeal spines short, strongly upturned (Bismarck Archipelago) . . . . . Polyrhachis leonidas

• Petiole with lateral spines distinctly longer than dorsal spines; propodeal spines long, only weakly upturned . . . . . . Polyrhachis barryi (in part - also #5)

16

return to couplet #13

• Body covered with abundant appressed and decumbent hair; propodeal spines short, upturned; lateral petiolar spines long, slender . . . . . Polyrhachis inducta

• Body with only sparse appressed hair; propodeal spines very short or present as mere denticles or tuberculae; petiolar spines subequal . . . . . Polyrhachis debilis

17

return to couplet #10

• Petiole virtually parallel-sided; petiolar spines very short, rudimentary . . . . . Polyrhachis brevinoda

• Petiole with sides dorsally diverging; petiolar spines of various configurtions, well developed . . . . . 18

18

return to couplet #17

• Head, mesosoma and petiole distinctly, closely reticulate-punctate, opaque . . . . . 19

• Head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster very finely shagreened, rather smooth . . . . . 20

19

return to couplet #18

• Pronotal dorsum distinctly swollen, exceptionally high, with medially impressed longitudinal furrow along summit . . . . . Polyrhachis inflata

• Pronotal dorsum not distinctly swollen, without longitudinal furrow on summit . . . . . Polyrhachis luctuosa

20

return to couplet #18

• Petiole with pair of long, slender, outward- and backward-directed lateral spines, dorsal pair reduced to minute denticles; body surfaces smooth and highly polished . . . . . Polyrhachis sedlaceki

• Petiole with lateral spines only marginally longer than dorsal pair or all spines subequal in length . . . . . 21

21

return to couplet #20

• Body with numerous appressed and decumbent hairs . . . . . . . . . . 22

• Body with only very sparse, short appressed hairs . . . . . 23

22

return to couplet #21

• Larger species (HL>1.47); lateral petiolar spines distinctly longer than dorsal pair; body pubescence rather diluted (New Guinea) . . . . . Polyrhachis nomo

• Smaller species (HL<1.40); petiolar spines subequal; body pubescence abundant (Australia, Papua) . . . . . Polyrhachis decumbens

23

return to couplet #21

• Mesosomal dorsum in profile with evenly convex outline . . . . . Polyrhachis euryala

• Mesosomal dorsum in profile with distinctly uneven outline . . . . . 24

24

return to couplet #23

• Propodeal declivity oblique . . . . . 25

• Propodeal declivity virtually vertical . . . . . 27

25

return to couplet #24

• Pronotal dorsum exceptionally high, with short, medially impressed longitudinal furrow . . . . . . Polyrhachis conspicua

• Pronotal dorsum not exceptionally high, longitudinal furrow lacking . . . . . 26

26

return to couplet #25

• Anterior face of pronotal dorsum ascending towards rather short summit in very weakly convex, almost straight line . . . . . Polyrhachis tuberosa

• Anterior face of pronotal dorsum ascending in strongly convex line towards distinctly swollen dorsum; pronotal-mesonotal summit relatively long . . . . . Polyrhachis dorsena

27

return to couplet #24

• Mesosoma in outline with pronotal dorsum strongly convex, rather swollen; propodeum relatively low . . . . . Polyrhachis hybosa

• Mesosoma in outline with only weakly convex, rather low pronotal dorsum and distinctly high propodeum (Bismarck Archipelago) . . . . . 28

28

return to couplet #27

• Eyes distinctly convex, clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline in full face view; propodeal declivity lower, weakly concave at base; petiole with anterior face almost straight and posterior face convex . . . . . Polyrhachis aporema

• Eyes rather flat, situated well inside cephalic outline in full face view; propodeal declivity higher, virtually vertical; petiole distinctly biconvex . . . . . Polyrhachis kyawthani