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Polyrhachis palawanensis
| Polyrhachis palawanensis | |
|---|---|
| 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. palawanensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Polyrhachis palawanensis Kohout, 2013 | |
Nothing is known about the biology of Polyrhachis palawanensis.
Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis aculeata species group in the subgenus Myrma
Polyrhachis palawanensis closely resembles Polyrhachis pubescens and Polyrhachis alatisquamis. All have short to medium length, semierect to erect, bristle-like hairs and abundant, relatively long, silvery, appressed pubescence. Polyrhachis palawanensis and P. alatisquamis both have a transversely broad petiole distinguishing them from P. pubescens. In addition, P. palawanensis has unusually flat, posteriorly protracted eyes, which distinguish it from both of the above species.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Philippines (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
Sexuals and immature stages unknown.
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- palawanensis. Polyrhachis (Myrma) palawanensis Kohout, 2013: 155, figs. 27-31 (w.) PHILIPPINES.
Type Material
- Holotype, worker, PALAWAN: Mantalingajan Ra., Pingisan, 620 m, Philippines, H. Holtmann, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Description
Worker
Dimensions: TL c. 6.60; HL 1.62; HW 1.31; CI 81; SL 2.06; SI 157; PW 1.28; MTL 2.00 (1 measured).
Mandibles with 5 teeth. Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, distinctly truncate medially, truncate portion delimited laterally by blunt angles. Clypeus with poorly indicated median carina; virtually straight in profile, posteriorly rounding into moderately impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle poorly indicated. Frontal carinae sinuate, margins only moderately raised; central area flat with rather short frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes convex towards mandibular bases; behind eyes sides strongly converging towards rather narrow occipital margin. Eyes very prominent, virtually flat, strongly projecting laterally, resembling blinkers, outline somewhat angular in full face view (Fig. 27); flatness of eyes notably evident when viewed from behind (Fig. 28). Ocelli lacking. Pronotal dorsum armed with relatively long spines, about 2x as long as basal width; pronotal margins subparallel, rounding posteriorly into promesonotal suture that is distinctly impressed laterally and rather flat medially. Mesonotal lateral margins narrowly rounded and raised anteriorly, posteriorly rounding into laterally impressed, medially indistinct, metanotal groove. Propodeal dorsum with lateral margins distinctly converging posteriorly and terminating in narrowly rounded, dorsally raised ridges that are continued medially and form transverse, dorsally bowed carina separating propodeal dorsum from virtually vertical, concave declivity. Secondary carinae extending from propodeal margins towards propodeal spiracles, dividing declivity from sides of propodeum. Petiole biconvex in profile; dorsum strongly transverse with weakly convex dorsal margin armed with pair of dorsolaterally and posteriorly directed spines situated on dorsolateral angles of petiole; shorter, rather flat, secondary spine situated laterally at base of each spine (Fig. 29). Anterior face of first gastral segment concave to accommodate posterior face of petiole; anterior margin only narrowly rounding onto dorsum.
Mandibles distinctly, longitudinally striate with piliferous pits. Clypeus reticulate punctate with rest of head and dorsum of mesosoma, including spines, distinctly, rather regularly, longitudinally striate, opaque. Sides of mesosoma wrinkled; petiole finely reticulate. Tips of pronotal and petiolar spines smooth, polished. Gaster distinctly, rather closely reticulate-punctate, opaque.
Mandibular masticatory borders and outer margins with numerous, suberect, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin medially with a few anteriorly directed golden setae and few shorter setae fringing margin laterally. Numerous relatively long, erect or suberect, mostly silvery or whitish hairs on clypeus, along frontal carinae, vertex and sides of head; moderately long, suberect hairs lining superior edge of antennal scapes with only a few distinctly shorter hairs along inferior edge. A few shorter, silvery hairs on sides of pronotum and fore coxae; more abundant, somewhat longer, pale golden hairs on legs. Hairs virtually absent from dorsum of mesosoma and petiole. Several moderately long, pale golden hairs on dorsum of gaster, distinctly longer and more abundant hairs on gastral venter and around apex. Closely appressed, relatively long, white or greyish pubescence abundant over most body surfaces and almost completely hiding underlying sculpturation; pubescence somewhat less abundant on antennal scapes and legs and completely absent from mandibles and tips of spines.
Colour. Black; mandibular masticatory borders lined with reddish brown. Antennae, legs and gastral apex dark to medium reddish brown.
Etymology
Named after the type locality, Palawan Island in the Philippines.
References
- 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, 137-171.