Polyrhachis numeria

Polyrhachis numeria
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Polyrhachis
Subgenus:	Myrma
Species group:	aculeata
Species complex:	pubescens
Species:	P. numeria
Binomial name
Polyrhachis numeria Smith, F., 1861 Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Polyrhachis schizospina Karavaiev, 1927

Polyrhachis numeria appears to be a rare species and, in spite of examination of several collections gathered during the 1985 ‘Project Wallace’ by N.E. Stork and M.J.D. Brendell (BMNH), C. van Achterberg (RMNH) and subsequently by other collectors, namely B. Gobin (KULB), K. Ogata & K. Masaoka (ITAK), I. Ketterl (SMNS), J. Constant (IRSN), M.M. Bos (GUGG) and S. Yamane (KUKJ), the holotype is the only specimen recorded from Sulawesi. (Kohout, 2013)

Identification

A member of the Polyrhachis aculeata species group in the subgenus Myrma

This species is superficially very similar to Polyrhachis diana described by Wheeler (1909) from Mindanao. However, recent examination and direct comparison of the P. diana syntypes with the holotype of P. numeria indicate that they are distinct species. In P. numeria the eyes are weakly posteriorly truncate, the superior edge of antennal scapes has numerous, relatively short hairs and all dorsal body surfaces have rather abundant, moderately long, golden hairs. In contrast, the eyes in P. diana are normal, the antennal scapes lack hairs and the body pilosity is confined to the front of the head and venter and apex of the gaster. Also, the pronotal spines in P. numeria are somewhat shorter with broad and dorsally flat bases, while they are longer and more slender with distinctly dorsomedially flattened bases in P. diana.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Polyrhachis aculeata group species
• Key to Sulawesi Polyrhachis relucens-group species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia (type locality), Sulawesi.
Oriental Region: India.

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

Male and immature stages unknown.

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Worker. Specimen code casent0906794. Photographer Michele Esposito, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

• numeria. Polyrhachis numeria Smith, F. 1861b: 42, pl. 1, fig. 25 (w.) INDONESIA (Sulawesi). Combination in P. (Myrma): Emery, 1925b: 201. Senior synonym of schizospina: Kohout, 1998: 527.
• schizospina. Polyrhachis (Johnia) schizospina Karavaiev, 1927e: 44, fig. 20 (q.) INDONESIA (Prinsen I.). Combination in P. (Aulacomyrma): Hung, 1967b: 402. Junior synonym of numeria: Kohout, 1998: 527.

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): Dimensions (holotype): TL c. 6.50; HL 1.65; HW 1.28; CI 77; SL 2.03; SI 158; PW 1.34; MTL 1.96.

Queen

Kohout (2013) - Dimensions (P. schizospina holotype): TL c. 7.96; HL 1.81; HW 1.40; CI 77; SL 2.12; SI 151; PW 1.52; MTL 2.18.

Type Material

• Holotype, worker, Sulawesi, Indonesia, A.R. Wallace, Oxford University Museum of Natural History; (see Kohout, 2013).

The following notes on F. Smith type specimens have been provided by Barry Bolton (details): Polyrhachis numeria: Holotype worker in Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Labelled “Tond.” (= Tondano, Sulawesi) and with a Donisthorpe type-label.

Kohout (2013) - Polyrhachis (Johnia) schizospina Holotype queen. Indonesia, Prinsen Island in Sunda Strait (Karavaiev #2397) Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica (Chinese Academy of Sciences) (examined).

References

• Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 201, Combination in P. (Myrma))
• Kohout, R. J. 1998. New synonyms and nomenclatural changes in the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 42: 505-531 (page 527, Senior synonym of schizospina)
• Kohout, R. J. 2013. A review of the Polyrhacis aculeata species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with keys and descriptions of new species. Australian Entomologist. 40:137-171.
• Kohout, R.J. 2008a. A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi with keys and descriptions of new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 52:255-317.
• Radchenko, A.G., Fisher, B.L., Esteves, F.A., Martynova, E.V., Bazhenova, T.N., Lasarenko, S.N. 2023. Ant type specimens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the collection of Volodymyr Opanasovych Karawajew. Communication 1. Dorylinae, Poneromorpha and Pseudomyrmecinae. Zootaxa, 5244(1), 1–32 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5244.1.1).
• Smith, F. 1861b. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the islands of Ceram, Celebes, Ternate, and Gilolo. [part]. J. Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. Zool. 6: 36-48 (page 42, pl. 1, fig. 25 worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Emery C. 1886. Saggio di un catalogo sistematico dei generi Camponotus, Polyrhachis e affini. Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna 5: 363-382
• Emery C. 1901. Formiciden von Celebes. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 14:565-580.
• Kohout R. J. 1998. New synonyms and nomenclatural changes in the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 42: 505-531
• Kohout R. J. 2013. A review of the Polyrhachis aculeata species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae), with keys and descriptions of new species. Australian Entomologist 40(3): 137-171.
• Kohout, R. J. 2008. A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi with keys and descriptions of new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52:255-317.
• Smith F. 1861. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the islands of Ceram, Celebes, Ternate, and Gilolo. [part]. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology 6: 36-48.