Polyrhachis lydiae

A ground nesting species.

Identification
Kohout (1988) - Direct comparison of the Polyrhachis schenkii holotype with lydiae syntypes (Forel coll.) shows lydiae to be a distinct and valid species. The most obvious difference is the colour, which in lydiae ranges from light metallic green to greenish or bluish black, save for the anterior part of the pronotum, which is always more or less reddish brown. P. schenkii is uniformly light reddish brown. Also, the lateral margins of the pronotal and mesonotal dorsa are more strongly converging posteriorly in schenkii than in lydiae.

Distribution
Known from Charters Towers in north Queensland, south to Raymond Terrace in central New South Wales.

This taxon was described from Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  lydiae. Polyrhachis schencki r. lydiae Forel, 1902h: 523 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in P. (Hagiomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 185. Raised to species: Kohout, 1988c: 434.