Polyrhachis dorowi

The type material was found in a lowland rainforest, with a nest made between leaves.

Identification
Kohout (2009) - Polyrhachis dorowi is characterised by the highly arched mesosoma and steeply rising anterior face of pronotal dorsum with its summit just before the promesonotal suture.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Castes
Kohout (2009) - Males and immature stages (eggs, larvae and pupae) deposited in the QMBA spirit collection.

Nomenclature

 *  dorowi. Polyrhachis dorowi Kohout, 2009b: 39, figs. 1, 4, 5 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA.

Worker
(holotype cited first): TL c. 6.00, 5.14-6.25; HL 1.53, 1.34-1.56; HW 1.50, 1.22-1.53; CI 98, 91-98; SL 1.87, 1.65-1.93; SI 125, 124-135; PW 1.18, 1.03-1.25; MIL 2.15, 1.84-2.18 (24 measured).

Mandibles with five teeth. Anterior clypeal margin with truncate, medially notched central flange, laterally flanked by acute denticles. Clypeus in profile straight or very weakly convex, posteriorly rounding into moderately impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle weakly indicated. Frontal carinae sinuate with margins moderately raised at mid-length, rather flat anteriorly and posteriorly; central area with moderately impressed frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes weakly convex towards mandibular bases; behind eyes rounding into moderately convex occipital margin. Eyes relatively large, convex, in full-face view clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotum in lateral view with anterior face rising very steeply towards narrow summit situated in front of strongly impressed promesonotal suture. Pronotal humeri in dorsal view rounded with greatest width of pronotum just before mid-length of segment. Mesosomal dorsum steeply descending towards propodeal declivity; metanotal groove lacking. Petiole relatively low, virtually triangular in lateral view with anterior and posterior faces weakly convex; dorsal margin armed with four spines, dorsal pair short, close together and broad-based, lateral pair diverging, slender and more acute. Subpetiolar process acute anteriorly, narrowly rounded posteriorly. Anterior face of first gastral segment about as high as full height of petiole, widely rounding onto dorsum of gaster.

Mandibles very finely, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits. Dorsum of head, mesosoma and gaster finely shagreened. Intensity of mesosomal sculpturation distinctly increasing laterally with lower portions of pronotum, meso- and metapleurae rather strongly reticulate-rugose. Petiole mostly transversely wrinkled dorsally, becoming reticulate-rugose near base. Mandibular masticatory borders with numerous curved hairs. Anterior clypeal margin medially with a few golden setae and several shorter setae fringing margin laterally. A few pairs of longer hairs arising near anterior and basal clypeal margins, along frontal carinae, on vertex and anterior face of frontal coxae. Tuft of long, variously curved hairs, not exceeding greatest diameter of eye in length, situated on summit of mesonotum. Numerous, distinctly shorter hairs arising along margins of segments and around apex of gaster.

Black; mandibular teeth, extreme tip of apical antennal segment and most of legs reddish-brown; proximal part of tibiae and tarsi black.

Queen
TL c. 7.51-8.01; HL 1.72-1.81; HW 1.53-1.64; CI 88-91; SL 2.00-2.12; SI 122-133; PW 1.68-1.84; MTL 2.37-2.59 (5 measured).

Closely resembling worker and apart of sexual characters differing as follows: eyes only moderately convex, in full face view just breaking lateral cephalic outline; pronotal humeri subangular; mesoscutum in dorsal view wider than long with lateral margins converging anteriorly into broadly rounded anterior margin; median line bifurcate dorsally. In lateral view mesoscutum relatively high with anterior margin widely rounding onto flat dorsum; parapsides rather flat anteriorly, weakly raised posteriorly; mesoscutellum in profile weakly convex, moderately elevated above dorsum of mesosoma; metanotal groove distinct; propodeum with rudimentary tubercles; propodeal dorsum convex in profile evenly descending into vertical declivity. Body sculpturation, pilosity and colour as in worker.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Australia (Queensland): Cape York Peninsula, Lockerbie Scrub, l0°46'S, l42°29'E, 23-26.ix.2003, lowland rf., ex nest between leaves, W.H.O. Dorow (RJK ace. 03.10). Paratypes: 55 workers, same data as holotype; 29 workers, 5 queens, 9 males, same data as holotype except 19-23.iii.l987 (RJK aces 87.36, 37, 44, 51, 66, 68). Holotype (QMT 152066) and most paratypes in ; 3 paratype workers and paratype queen in ; 2 paratype workers each in, , , , , , and SMFG.

Etymology
After the collector of the type series, Dr Wolfgang H. O. Dorow of the Senckenberg Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.