Polyrhachis diversa

Polyrhachis diversa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Polyrhachis
Subgenus:	Hagiomyrma
Species group:	tubifera
Species:	P. diversa
Binomial name
Polyrhachis diversa Kohout, 2013

Polyrhachis diversa differs from most other Hagiomyrma species by inhabiting rainforest, where it has been collected upon the trunks and foliage of trees.

Identification

A member of the tubifera species-group in the Polyrhachis subgenus Hagiomyrma. Kohout (2013) - Polyrhachis diversa is very similar to Polyrhachis tubifera and they share a relatively short and wide, evenly arched mesosoma, distinctly elongated propodeal spiracles and very short petiolar spines that are separated by the transversely wide dorsum of the petiole. However, P. diversa features rich, closely appressed, golden pubescence that is absent in P. tubifera. In contrast, P. diversa has virtually no pubescence on the dorsum of the gaster, while in P. tubifera the gastral dorsum is covered with rich golden pubescence that completely hides the underlying sculpturation.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -11.66666667° to -13.76666667°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Castes

Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

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

• diversa. Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) diversa Kohout, 2013: 572, figs. 14A-B (w.) AUSTRALIA.

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

Description

Worker

(holotype cited first): TL c. 6.35, 5.80-6.65; HL 1.56, 1.50- 1.68; HW 1.31, 1.28-1.47; CI 84, 84-89; SL 1.75, 1.70-1.90; SI 133, 127-136; PW 1.50, 1.34-1.62; MW 1.03; PMI 145; MTL 1.75, 1.68-1.96 (10 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin medially widely truncate and denticulate, without clearly defined median flange. Clypeus with median, anteriorly elevated carina; sinuate in profile with rather flat basal margin. Frontal carinae sinuate with weakly raised margins anteriorly, virtually flat posteriorly; central area relatively wide with flat frontal furrow. Sides of head converging anteriorly towards mandibular bases in straight line; behind eyes, sides rounding into relatively low occipital margin. Eyes weakly convex, in full face view almost reaching lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking, relative positions indicated by shallow pits in cephalic sculpture. Mesosoma relatively broad and short, strongly convex in lateral view. Pronotal dorsum with humeri rounded; lateral margins weakly raised, converging towards deeply laterally impressed promesonotal suture. Metanotal groove indistinct; mesonotal and propodeal dorsa in lateral view forming uninterrupted, convex line before rounding into vertical declivity. Propodeal spiracles prominent, situated on laterally projecting tubercles. Lateral margins of propodeum strongly divergent, terminating in broad-based, relatively short, acute, spines. Petiole very narrow in lateral view with anterior face straight, posterior face weakly convex; dorsum transversely wide, armed with very short, divergent spines. Anterior face of first gastral tergite distinctly higher than full height of petiole, widely rounding onto dorsum.

Mandibles very finely, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits. Head, mesosoma and petiole closely reticulate-punctate. Gaster very finely shagreened.

Mandibles at masticatory borders and along outer borders with numerous golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin medially with several medium length, golden setae. Several short to medium length, mostly erect hairs on clypeus, along frontal carinae, vertex, anterior face of front coxae and venter of mid and hind coxae and femora; only a few very short, erect hairs on dorsum of pronotum and mesonotum. Dorsum of gaster with a few short hairs; apical segments and venter with numerous, medium length, posteriorly directed, golden hairs. Abundant closely appressed, rich golden pubescence on dorsum of head, mesosoma and petiole, completely hiding underlying sculpturation; pubescence less dense and pale golden or silvery on clypeus and sides of head, mesosoma and petiole. Short, silvery, closely appressed pubescence on venter of gaster; pubescence virtually absent from gastral dorsum.

Black; mandibular teeth and appendages dark reddish-brown; gaster medium reddish-brown, semi-polished.

Type Material

• Holotype, worker, Cape York Pen., Mt Tozer summit, Queensland, Australia, 12°45′0″S 143°13′0″E, 8.xii.1985, G.B. Monteith & D.J. Cook, QMT174516, Queensland Museum.
• Paratype, 6 workers, Cape York Pen., Mt Tozer summit, Queensland, Australia, 12°45′0″S 143°13′0″E, 8.xii.1985, G.B. Monteith & D.J. Cook.
• Paratype, 3 workers, Mt Lamond, Queensland, Australia, 12°44′0″S 143°18′0″E, 19-15.vi.1971, R.W. Taylor & J.E. Feehan, RWT & JEF accs 71.259, 266.
• Paratype, 1 worker, Iron Range, Queensland, Australia, 12°43′0″S 143°18′0″E, 26-31.vii.1981, R.J. Kohout, RJK acc. 81.203.

Type deposition: Holotype and 2 paratype workers in Queensland Museum, 2 paratype workers each in Australian National Insect Collection, The Natural History Museum and Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin word diversus, meaning different, in reference to several characters separating P. diversa from the very similar P. tubifera.

References

• Kohout, R.J. 2013. Revision of Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) Wheeler, 1911 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, Nature 56, 487-577.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Kohout R.J. 2013. Revision of Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) Wheeler, 1911 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature 56: 487–577