Polyrhachis sexspinosa

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Polyrhachis sexspinosa
Polyrhachis sexspinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Polyrhachis
Subgenus: Myrmhopla
Species: P. sexspinosa
Binomial name
Polyrhachis sexspinosa
(Latreille, 1802)

Polyrhachis sexspinosa side view

Polyrhachis sexspinosa top view

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Polyrhachis sexspinosa is a relatively common and widespread species reported from most of the New Guinean mainland and islands of eastern Indonesia, including several doubtful records from the southern Philippines (Kohout, 1989). In Australia it ranges from Lockerbie Scrub south to Rocky River, northeast of Coen. Polyrhachis sexspinosa is somewhat singular within the sexspinosa-group in that it builds pocket-like nests of silk, vegetation debris and bark fragments against the trunks of rainforest trees (see images below).

Photo Gallery

  • Pocket nest of Polyrhachis sexspinosa (Latreille) attached to a buttress of a caulifloral rainforest tree at Lockerbie Scrub, Cape York Peninsula. Photo R.J. Kohout.

Identification

A member of the Polyrhachis sexspinosa species group.

Kohout (2010) - Polyrhachis sexspinosa resembles Polyrhachis reclinata, with their main distinguishing characters given in remarks section under the latter species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 1.516666667° to -12.71666667°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality), New Caledonia.
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea, Philippines.

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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.
pChart

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.
pChart

Biology

Castes

Males and immature stages (eggs, larvae in various stages of development and pupae) in QM spirit collection.

Polyrhachis-sexspinosaH1.6x.jpgPolyrhachis-sexspinosaL1.25.jpgPolyrhachis-sexspinosaD1.25.jpg
. Owned by Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Polyrhachis-sexspinosa-illus.jpg
.
Polyrhachis sexspinosa T8100 barnardi syntype female labels (Mus. Vic.).jpgPolyrhachis sexspinosa T8100 barnardi syntype female side (Mus. Vic.).jpgPolyrhachis sexspinosa T8100 barnardi syntype female top (Mus. Vic.).jpg
.

Nomenclature

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

  • sexspinosa. Formica sexspinosa Latreille, 1802c: 126, pl. 4, fig. 21 (w.) INDONESIA ("Indes orientales"). Mayr, 1867a: 42 (q.); Karavaiev, 1927e: 26 (m.). Combination in Polyrhachis: Smith, F. 1858b: 59; in P. (Myrmhopla): Viehmeyer, 1916a: 167. Senior synonym of argentata: Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835: 219; of irritabilis: Roger, 1863b: 6; of sericea: Bolton, 1975c: 12; of barnardi: Kohout & Taylor, 1990: 519. See also: Kohout, 2010: 196.
  • argentata. Formica argentata Fabricius, 1804: 413 (w.) NEW CALEDONIA. Combination in Polyrhachis: Smith, F. 1858b: 73. Junior synonym of sexspinosa: Lepeletier, 1835: 219; Roger, 1863b: 6.
  • irritabilis. Polyrhachis irritabilis Smith, F. 1859a: 141 (q.) INDONESIA (Aru I.). Junior synonym of sexspinosa: Roger, 1863b: 6.
  • sericea. Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) sexspinosa var. sericea Karavaiev, 1927e: 26, fig. 13 (w.q.m.) INDONESIA (Aru I.). [Also described as new by Karavaiev, 1928: 316.] Junior synonym of sexspinosa: Bolton, 1975c: 12.
  • barnardi. Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) barnardi Clark, 1928a: 39, pl. 1, figs. 37, 38 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Clark, 1930c: 14 (q.). Junior synonym of sexspinosa: Kohout & Taylor, 1990: 519. See also: Bolton, 1975c: 6.

Type Material

Polyrhachis sexspinosa was originally described from a queen collected in the ‘East Indies’. The holotype queen of this species should be lodged in the Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle, but an extensive search by the author failed locate it there or in any collections examined and it is considered lost. I support the earlier decision of Kohout & Taylor (1990: 518-520) who recognised the specimens of a nest series from Papua New Guinea (see above) as the voucher specimens of P. sexspinosa by designating one of these workers as the neotype for this name (ANIC, QM). A worker specimen was designated as the neotype of Polyrhachis sexspinosa (Latreille) from this colony of 50+ workers, a dealate queen and several males collected from a pocket nest on the trunk of a rainforest tree. The neotype has been deposited in ANIC.

The following notes on V.A. Karavaiev type specimens have been provided by Martynov & Radchenko (2016) based on material held in the Institute of Zoology, Ukrainian Academy of Science:

Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) sexspinosa Latr. var. sericea Karawajew, 1927.

Type locality(-ies): “Wammar, Aru, 24.III.1913 (Nr. 2642), ww, geflüg. qq und mm in einem Nest gesammelt”.

Original Karawajew label(-s): “Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) / sexspinosa Latr. v. sericea / Karav. typus. / Wammar, Aru, 2597, 2642, Leg. / et det. V. Karavaev”.

Material: SYNTYPES, 6 w, 1 q (newly mounted, IN 314/6/2), 27 w (in alcohol, IN 314/BAMS1/Karaw11–13).

Notes. Karawajew (1927a) provided in the original description collection number 2462 for the type series of this taxon, while in the single vial with alcohol material in NMNH NASU there are original Karawajew labels with collection numbers 2642 and 2597. We investigated all workers from this vial and confirm their conspecificity. Moreover, among the mounted specimens of var. sericea from SIZK there are syntypes series with number 2462, and one worker labeled as “Wamman, Aru. 2671. Karawajew”, “Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) sexspinosa Latr. v. sericea Karaw. typus” that also does not correspond to the collection number given in the original description. We may only suppose that Karawajew did not provide all the collection numbers when describing this taxon, and we consider all the material from NMNH NASU as syntypes.

The following notes on F. Smith type specimens have been provided by Barry Bolton (details):

Polyrhachis irritabilis

Holotype worker in Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Labelled “Aroo” (= Aru I., New Guinea) and with a Donisthorpe type-label.

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

Description

Worker

Kohout (2010) - TL c. 12.60-14.76; HL 3.12-3.58; HW 1.84-2.17; CI 57-62; SL 3.78-4.48; SI 195-216; PW 1.81-2.03; MTL 4.79-5.74 (27 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, often with very shallow median emargination. Clypeus with median carina, virtually straight in profile, posteriorly curving into moderately impressed basal margin. Frontal carinae sinuate with acute, highly raised margins. Sides of head in front of eyes almost straight, weakly diverging towards mandibular bases; behind eyes sides strongly tapered into narrow occipital margin with strongly developed occipital lobes. Eyes strongly convex, in full face view clearly exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking, positions indicated by distinctly raised cephalic sculpture. Pronotal dorsum convex in profile, distinctly higher than mesonotum; humeri armed with strong, acute, more-or-less horizontal, anterolaterally directed spines; promesonotal suture distinct. Mesopleural process a distinct, dentiform lobe. Mesonotum and propodeum weakly convex in profile. Propodeal spines relatively long, virtually straight, in lateral view usually vertical to main axis of body or inclined forwards, tips sometimes curved posteriorly or inwards. Dorsum of petiole with a pair of lateral, dorsoposteriorly directed, acute spines.

Mandibles with numerous piliferous pits. Clypeus and sides of head finely reticulate-punctate with intensity and density of sculpturation distinctly increasing posteriorly, vertex and occiput rather coarsely sculptured. Mesosomal dorsum rugose with intensity decreasing posteriorly with propodeal dorsum finely reticulate-punctate. Gaster very finely shagreened.

Mostly silvery or grey, erect or variously curved hairs of variable lengths and densities over the entire body and appendages, including antennal scapes. Longest hairs on mesosomal dorsum, clearly longer than greatest diameter of eye. Head and mesosoma with somewhat untidy, relatively long, mostly silvery, suberect pubescence that never completely hides underlying sculpturation; most dense and more appressed on dorsum of head and mesosoma, somewhat radiating on sides. Gastral pubescence ranging from diluted on venter to dense on dorsum, where it is arranged in characteristic midline pattern.

Body black; mandibles, except bases, apical antennal segments and legs, including coxae, mostly light to medium reddish-brown.

Queen

Kohout (2010) - TL c. 13.46-16.28; HL 3.17-3.78; HW 1.86-2.37; CI 57-63; SL 3.73-4.59; SI 189-211; PW 2.02-2.82; MTL 4.74-5.64 (11 measured).

Queen very similar to worker; apart from usual characters identifying full sexuality, including three ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings differing mainly in configuration of spines; pronotal spines shorter, projecting more anteriorly, tips directed forwards; propodeal spines distinctly shorter, oblique to main axis of body, weakly curved posteriorly; petiolar spines straight, distinctly shorter than in worker; sculpturation, pilosity and colour pattern identical to worker.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 1975. The sexspinosa-group of the ant genus Polyrhachis F. Smith (Hym. Formicidae). J. Entomol. Ser. B 44: 1-14
  • Clark J. 1930. New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (n.s.)43: 2-25.
  • Donisthorpe H. 1941. Descriptions of new species of ants from New Guinea. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (11)7: 129-144.
  • Donisthorpe H. 1947. Ants from New Guinea, including new species and a new genus. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (11)13: 577-595.
  • Donisthorpe H. 1948. A second instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (11)14: 297-317.
  • Donisthorpe H. 1949. A seventh instalment of the Ross Collection of ants from New Guinea. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (12)2: 401-422.
  • Donisthorpe, Horace. 1943. The Ants of Waigeu Island, North Dutch New Guinea. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History 11 (10): 433-475.
  • 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. 1887. Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia. [part]. Ann. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. 24(4): 209-258.
  • Emery C. 1911. Formicidae. Résultats de l'expédition scientifique néerlandaise à la Nouvelle-Guinée en 1903 sous les auspices de Arthur Wichmann. Nova Guinea 5: 531-539.
  • Emery C. 1911. Formicidae. Résultats de l'expédition scientifique néerlandaise à la Nouvelle-Guinée en 1907 et 1909 sous les auspices de Dr. H. A. Lorentz. Nova Guin. 9: 249-259
  • Emery, C. "Catalogo delle formiche esistenti nelle collezioni del Museo Civico di Genova. Parte terza. Formiche della regione Indo-Malese e dell'Australia." Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria (Genova) (2) 4, no. 24 (1887): 209-258.
  • Forel A. 1886. Études myrmécologiques en 1886. Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 30: 131-215.
  • 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. 2010. A review of the Australian Polyrhachis ants of the subgenera Myrmhopla Forel and Hirtomyrma subgen. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature 55:167-204.
  • Kohout R. J., and R. W. Taylor. 1990. Notes on Australian ants of the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, with a synonymic list of the species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 28: 509-522.
  • Lucky A., E. Sarnat, and L. Alonso. 2011. Ants of the Muller Range, Papua New Guinea, Chapter 10. In Richards, S. J. and Gamui, B. G. (editors). 2013. Rapid Biological Assessments of the Nakanai Mountains and the upper Strickland Basin: surveying the biodiversity of Papua New Guinea’s sublime karst environments. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 60. Conservation International. Arlington, VA.
  • Martynov A. V., and A. G. Radchenko. 2016. Karawajew’s ant type specimens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the National Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Zootaxa 4097 (2): 244–254.
  • Mezger D., and C. S. Moreau. 2015. Out of South-East Asia: phylogeny and biogeography of the spiny ant genus Polyrhachis Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Systematic Entomology DOI: 10.1111/syen.12163
  • Robson Simon Ant Collection, 05-Sept-2014
  • Robson Simon Database Polyrhachis -05 Sept 2014
  • Santschi F. 1932. Résultats scientifiques du voyage aux Indes orientales néerlandaises de LL. AA. RR. le Prince et la Princesse Léopold de Belgique. Hymenoptera. Formicidae. Mémoires du Musée Royal d'Histoire Naturelle de Belgique. (2)4: 11-29.
  • Smith F. 1863. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the islands of Mysol, Ceram, Waigiou, Bouru and Timor. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology 7: 6-48.
  • Smith F. 1865. Descriptions of new species of hymenopterous insects from the islands of Sumatra, Sula, Gilolo, Salwatty, and New Guinea, collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology 8: 61-94.
  • Smith, Fr. "Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the Islands of Bachian, Kaisaa, Amboyna, Gilolo, and at Dory in New Guinea." Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 5 (1860): 93-143.
  • Stitz H. 1911. Australische Ameisen. (Neu-Guinea und Salomons-Inseln, Festland, Neu-Seeland). Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1911: 351-381.
  • Stitz H. 1912. Ameisen aus Ceram und Neu-Guinea. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1912: 498-514.
  • Stitz H. 1925. Ameisen von den Philippinen, den malayischen und ozeanischen Inseln. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1923: 110-136.
  • Taylor R. W., and D. R. Brown. 1985. Formicoidea. Zoological Catalogue of Australia 2: 1-149. 
  • Viehmeyer H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und Anthropologische-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.
  • Viehmeyer H. 1913. Ameisen aus dem Kopal von Celebes. Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung 74: 141-155.
  • Viehmeyer H. 1914. Papuanische Ameisen. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1914: 515-535.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1909. Ants of Formosa and the Philippines. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 26: 333-345.
  • Zryanin V. A. 2011. An eco-faunistic review of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In: Structure and functions of soil communities of a monsoon tropical forest (Cat Tien National Park, southern Vietnam) / A.V. Tiunov (Editor). – M.: KMK Scientific Press. 2011. 277 р.101-124.