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Polyrhachis inflata
| Polyrhachis inflata | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Camponotini |
| Genus: | Polyrhachis |
| Subgenus: | Cyrtomyrma |
| Species: | P. inflata |
| Binomial name | |
| Polyrhachis inflata Kohout, 2006
| |
The type series was collected in a rainforest clearing on the trunks of recently felled trees.
Identification
Polyrhachis inflata is probably related to Polyrhachis luctuosa with both distinguished from all other known New Guinean species of the subgenus by the very closely reticulate-punctate sculpturation of their body, giving them a distinct opaque appearance. However, Polyrhachis inflata is easily separated by its exceptionally high pronotal dorsum which bears a well-defined, median, longitudinal furrow along its summit. The pronotum in Polyrhachis luctuosa is not swollen and has no furrow. With its highly raised pronotum, Polyrhachis conspicua also resembles Polyrhachis inflata, but the body sculpturation in Polyrhachis conspicua is rather smooth and polished. (Kohout 2006)
Keys including this Species
Distribution
New Guinea
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea (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. |
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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
Males of Polyrhachis inflata have yet to be collected.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- inflata. Polyrhachis inflata Kohout, 2006b: 127, figs. 9G-H (w.q.) NEW GUINEA.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 7.26, 6.50-7.26; HL 1.81, 1.68-1.84; HW 1.72, 1.62-1.81; CI 95, 94-98; SL 2.34, 2.09-2.34; SI 136, 128-136; PW 1.37, 1.28-1.40; MTL 2.78, 2.43-2.81 (5 measured).
Clypeus in profile almost straight, with weak median tubercle just before narrowly rounding into weakly medially impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle weakly impressed. Frontal carinae sinuate with weakly raised margins; central area almost flat with frontal furrow indicated along most of its length. Sides of head in front of eyes almost straight, strongly converging towards mandibular bases; behind eyes sides rounding into convex occipital margin. Ocelli lacking, shallow punctures indicating relative positions of lateral ocelli poorly visible under overlying sculpturation. Pronotum in dorsal view widely rounded; greatest width of pronotal dorsum at mid-length of segment. Mesosoma in profile with pronotum strongly convex, very high, anterior face very steep; summit narrow with short, median, longitudinal furrow; promesonotal suture distinct; mesonotal dorsum virtually straight except for depression indicating position of metanotal groove; propodeal dorsum descending in open, uninterrupted curve into oblique declivity. Petiole with anterior face straight, posterior face very weakly convex; dorsum armed with four subequal spines; dorsal pair closer to each other than to lateral spines, tips slightly bent backwards. Subpetiolar process acute anteriorly, rounded posteriorly. Anterior face of first gastral segment straight, rounding in even curve onto dorsum of segment.
Mandibles finely, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits. Head, mesosoma and petiole very closely reticulate-punctate; sculpturation on sides of mesosoma more coarse, becoming reticulate-rugose on meso- and metapleurae. Petiole finely, mostly transversely reticulate, distinctly reticulate-rugose around base. Gaster rather strongly shagreened, sculpture generally less coarse than on head and mesosoma. All dorsal body surfaces with numerous piliferous pits and puctures.
Mandibles with numerous semierect hairs on masticatory borders. Anterior clypeal margin with a few anteriorly directed setae medially and several shorter setae laterally. Paired, relatively long, erect hairs near anterior and basal clypeal margins and along frontal carinae; single longer pair on vertex. One or 2 long, erect hairs on anterior and posterior faces of fore coxae. Numerous, medium length, erect hairs lining posterior margins of gastral segments; ventral surfaces with hairs distinctly more abundant, posteriorly directed and with rather dense cover of decumbent hairs. Abundant, very short, appressed hairs arising from numerous pits over all dorsal body surfaces.
Colour. Black, with only mandibular teeth, condylae, extreme tips of apical funicular segments and narrow band on trochanters, medium reddish-brown.
Queen
Dimensions: TL c. 8.11; HL 1.93; HW 1.72; CI 89; SL 2.34; SI 136; PW 1.84; MTL 3.17 (1 measured). Apart from sexual characters, very closely resembling worker except: pronotal humeri widely rounded; mesoscutum in profile widely rounded anteriorly, dorsum rather flat; mesoscutum in dorsal view only marginally wider than long, lateral margins converging anteriorly into narrowly rounded anterior margin; median line clearly indicated, bifurcate posteriorly; parapsides rather flat, weakly raised posteriorly. Mesoscutellum in profile convex, higher than mesoscutum; metanotal groove distinct. Propodeal dorsum descending into oblique declivity in narrow curve. Sporadic pilosity and sculpturation as in worker, except mesothoracic epimera and episterna very finely reticulate without punctures or piliferous pits.
Type Material
HOLOTYPE: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, West Sepik Prov., Torricelli Mts, Lumi, 03°29’S, 142°02’E, x.1984, D. Waisi (worker). PARATYPES: data as for holotype (2 workers); ditto, 1-2km NE of Lumi, 400-500m, 11-13.viii.1984, rf, RJK acc. 84.283 (queen). Madang Prov., Adalbert Mts, Wanuma, 04°36’S, 145°06’E, viii.1968, N.L.H. Krauss (1 workers). Gulf Prov., Ivimka camp, Lakekamu Basin, 07.7°S, 146.8°E, 120m, 11-20.xi.1996, Malaise trap, R.R. Snelling (1 worker). Holotype worker (QMT99345) and paratype queen in Queensland Museum; 1 paratype worker each in Australian National Insect Collection, The Natural History Museum, Bernice P. Bishop Museum and Museum of Comparative Zoology.
References
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
- Kohout R.J. 2006. Review of Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) Forel of Australia, Borneo, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with descriptions of new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52: 87-146.