Polyrhachis tricuspis

Polyrhachis tricuspis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Formicinae
Tribe:	Camponotini
Genus:	Polyrhachis
Subgenus:	Myrmothrinax
Species:	P. tricuspis
Binomial name
Polyrhachis tricuspis André, 1887
Synonyms
Polyrhachis ternatae Karavaiev, 1933

Identification

Kohout (2008) - I have examined the unique holotype queen of P. tricuspis and compared it directly with a single available queen of Polyrhachis ternatae from Seram I. The latter is a part of a series of specimens collected by W.M. Mann (Ceram, Piroe, 1937 NGS SI Exp.), with accompanied workers that have been compared with the syntype of P. ternatae and considered conspecific. In the original description, Karawajew compared P. ternatae (=P. tricuspis) with Polyrhachis frauenfeldi from Java, however, it is more similar to Polyrhachis aequalis from the Philippines. Both species have short, but distinct humeral teeth, almost identical sculpturation of the mesosomal dorsum, subequal petiolar spines and a reddish-brown body and appendages. They mainly differ in the form of the median portion of the anterior clypeal margin that, in P. ternatae, has a widely open, V-shaped emargination, while it is simply truncate in P. aequalis.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 0.566666667° to -3.566666667°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia (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.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• tricuspis. Polyrhachis tricuspis André, 1887: 284 (q.) INDONESIA (Ambon I.). Combination in P. (Myrmothrinax): Emery, 1925b: 184. Senior synonym of ternatae: Kohout, 2008a: 259.
• ternatae. Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) ternatae Karavaiev, 1933b: 105, fig. 7 (w.) INDONESIA (Ternate I.). Junior synonym of tricuspis: Kohout, 2008a: 259.

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

Type Material

Kohout (2008) - Holotype queen (alate). INDONESIA, Ambon I., Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, (examined).

References

• André, E. 1887. Description de quelques fourmis nouvelles ou imparfaitement connues. Rev. Entomol. (Caen) 6: 280-298 (page 284, queen described)
• de Bekker, C., Will, I., Das, B., Adams, R.M.M. 2018. The ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and their parasites: effects of parasitic manipulations and host responses on ant behavioral ecology. Myrmecological News 28: 1-24 (doi:10.25849/myrmecol.news_028:001).
• Emery, C. 1925d. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Formicinae. Genera Insectorum 183: 1-302 (page 184, Combination in P. (Myrmothrinax))
• 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.
• Latumahina, F., Borovanska, M., Musyafa, Sumardi, Susetya Putra, N., Janda, M. 2015. Ants of Ambon Island – diversity survey and checklist. ZooKeys 472, 43–57 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.472.8441).
• 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).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• André E. 1887. Description de quelques fourmis nouvelles ou imparfaitement connues. Rev. Entomol. (Caen) 6: 280-298.
• Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
• 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
• Karavaiev V. 1930. Ameisen von den Molukken und Neuguinea. (Ergebnisse der Sunda-Expedition der Notgemeinschaft der deutschen Wissenschaft 1929/30.). Zool. Anz. 92: 206-214.
• Karavaiev V. 1933. Ameisen aus dem Indo-Australischen Gebiet, VII. (Fortsetzung). Konowia 12: 103-120.
• Latumahina F., M. Borovanska, N. S. Putra, and M. Janda. 2015. Ants of Ambon Island – diversity survey and checklist. ZooKeys 472: 43–57.
• Robson Simon Database Polyrhachis -05 Sept 2014
• 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.