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Polyrhachis ornata
| Polyrhachis ornata | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Formicinae |
| Tribe: | Camponotini |
| Genus: | Polyrhachis |
| Subgenus: | Hedomyrma |
| Species: | P. ornata |
| Binomial name | |
| Polyrhachis ornata Mayr, 1876
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| Synonyms | |
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Nests can be very numerous, with the colonies usually occupying large hollow branches high in trees.
Identification
Distribution
North Queensland to Victoria, where 'P. ornata has been recorded as far south as Bemm River.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -16.26666667° to -33.8318°.
| 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. |
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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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Elevation Range
| Species | Elevation (m asl) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1000 | 1200 | |
| Polyrhachis ornata | 10-20 | |||||
| Shading indicates the bands of elevation where species was recorded. Numbers are the percentage of total samples containing this species. | ||||||
Biology
Castes
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0906597. 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.
- ornata. Polyrhachis ornata Mayr, 1876: 73 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in P. (Hedomyrma): Forel, 1915b: 107. Senior synonym of chrysothorax, humerosa: Kohout, 1988c: 435.
- humerosa. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) humerosa Emery, 1921e: 18 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of ornata: Kohout, 1988c: 435.
- chrysothorax. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) chrysothorax Viehmeyer, 1925b: 148 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1974a: 62 (l.). Junior synonym of ornata: Kohout, 1988c: 435.
Type Material
- Polyrhachis ornata: Syntype, worker(s), Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna.
- Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) chrysothorax Viehmeyer, 1925: Syntype, worker(s), queen(s), Trial Bay, New South Wales, Australia, Berlin Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität.
- Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) humerosa Emery, 1921: Syntype, worker(s) (probable), Mount Adelaide, Conondale Range, Queensland, Australia, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève.
Kohout (1988) - The original locality of P. humerosa was given as Adelaide, but I have never seen specimens collected in South Australia. I believe that the locality given by Emery is questionable, more so as the label under a syntype from the MCG reads' Adelaide M', with the edge cut just through the letter 'M'. There apparently is no Adelaide M(ountain) in Australia, but Mount Adelaide is located in the Conondale Range in South East Queensland, where P. ornata is a common species. I suggest that this was the true source of the humerosa types. This is supported by the close similarity between recent Conondale Range collections and the syntype.
Description
References
- Blanchard, B.D., Nakamura, A., Cao, M., Chen, S.T., Moreau, C.S. 2020. Spine and dine: A key defensive trait promotes ecological success in spiny ants. Ecology and Evolution 10, 5852–5863 (doi:10.1002/ECE3.6322).
- Burwell, C.J., Nakamura, A. 2020. Rainforest ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) along an elevational gradient at Eungella in the Clarke Range, Central Queensland coast, Australia. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 125: 43-63.
- 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 107, Combination in P. (Hedomyrma))
- Kohout, R. J. 1988c. Nomenclatural changes and new Australian records in the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 25: 429-438 (page 435, Senior synonym of chrysothorax and humerosa)
- Mayr, G. 1876. Die australischen Formiciden. J. Mus. Godeffroy 12: 56-115 (page 73, worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Kohout R. J. 1988. Nomenclatural changes and new Australian records in the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 25: 429-438
- Taylor R. W., and D. R. Brown. 1985. Formicoidea. Zoological Catalogue of Australia 2: 1-149.
- Vanderwoude C., A. N. Andersen, and A. P. N. House. 1997. Community organisation, biogeography and seasonality of ants in a open forest of south-eastern Queensland. Australian Journal of Zoology 45: 523-537.