Polyrhachis barryi

Nothing is known about its nesting habits, but a tag on specimens collected by B.B. Lowery states they were collected ‘under bark and on foliage of Hoop pine in plantation’. (Kohout 2006)

Identification
Polyrhachis barryi is relatively similar to Polyrhachis leonidas from the Bismarck Archipelago from which it can be distinguished by its distinctly finer body sculpturation, a more convex pronotal dorsum and distinctly longer propodeal and lateral petiolar spines. Polyrhachis leonidas has short to very short, strongly upturned, almost vertical propodeal spines and petiolar spines that are subequal in length. The eyes also differ with those of Polyrhachis leonidas being more convex and prominent, clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline in full face view. (Kohout 2006)

Distribution
Papua New Guinea

This taxon was described from New Guinea.

Worker
Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 6.25, 5.80-6.25; HL 1.62, 1.55-1.62; HW 1.53, 1.37-1.53; CI 94, 89-96; SL 2.06, 1.81-2.06; SI 135, 125-135; PW 1.31, 1.18-1.31; MTL 2.43, 2.18-2.43 (6 measured).

Clypeus in profile straight anteriorly, posteriorly rounding into medially impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle indistinct. Frontal carinae sinuate with weakly raised margins; central area weakly concave with indistinct frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes moderately convex, converging towards mandibular bases; behind eyes sides rounding into convex occipital margin. Eyes convex, rather large and prominent, in full face view clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotum in dorsal view with humeri rounded or very weakly angular; greatest width of pronotal dorsum behind shoulders or towards mid-length of segment in some specimens. Mesosoma in profile relatively low, convex anteriorly, weakly sinuate posteriorly; promesonotal suture distinct; mesonotal dorsum weakly convex; metanotal groove lacking; propodeum armed with relatively long, blunt, widely diverging and distinctly dorso-ventrally compressed spines; posterior margins of spines continued medially, forming wide ‘U’ but failing to meet, leaving a small gap through which propodeal dorsum meets rather steep declivity. Petiole with anterior face straight, posterior face weakly convex; dorsum armed with four spines; dorsal pair short, broad-based with tips slightly bent backwards; lateral pair slender, more than Twice as long as dorsal pair. Subpetiolar process acutely angular anteriorly, narrowly rounded posteriorly. Anterior face of first gastral segment flat, rounding in even curve onto dorsum of segment.

Mandibles very finely, mostly longitudinally rugose with numerous shallow pits. Head, mesosoma and gaster shagreened with sides of pronotum, meso- and metapleurae and lower portions of petiole distinctly reticulate to reticulate-rugose. Shallow, mostly piliferous punctures rather densely distributed over all body surfaces.

A few semierect hairs at mandibular masticatory borders. Anterior clypeal margin lined with relatively short, anteriorly directed setae. Several paired, medium length, erect hairs near anterior and basal clypeal margins and along frontal carinae. A few rather long, erect hairs on anterior face of fore coxae; medium length, erect hairs on anterior face of subpetiolar process and around apical gastral segments. Numerous very short, appressed hairs arising from punctures over most body surfaces.

Colour. Black; including most of antennal scapes, coxae and tarsi. Mandibular masticatory borders, condylae and extreme tip of apical funicular segments light to medium reddish-brown. Legs varying from light reddish-brown, with proximal ends of tibiae narrowly darker, to very dark brown.

Queen
Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 7.46; HL 1.78; HW 1.68; CI 94; SL 2.18; SI 130; PW 1.75; MTL 2.87 (1 measured). Apart from sexual characters, very similar to worker except: pronotal humeri more rounded, mesoscutum slightly transverse, with evenly rounded anterior margin; median line short, not reaching dorsum of segment; parapsides rather flat, slightly elevated posteriorly; dorsum of mesoscutum in profile flat posteriorly, widely rounded anteriorly. Mesoscutellum convex, elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma. Metanotal groove distinct. Propodeal dorsum weakly convex, abruptly rounding into vertical declivity; propodeal spines slightly shorter than in worker. Petiole with pair of short, very broad-based dorsal teeth and pair of more slender, distinctly longer lateral spines. Other characters, including sculpturation and virtual lack of dorsal pubescence as in worker.

Male
Unkown

Type Material
Holotype and 2 paratype workers in ; paratype worker each in, and.

Type Locality Information
HOLOTYPE: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Morobe Prov., Huon Pen., Mongi Watershed, Gemeheng, 1300m, 11-13.iv.1955, E.O. Wilson #788 (worker). PARATYPES: data as for holotype (2 workers); ditto, Mongi Watershed, Tumnang, 1500m, 14-5.iv.1955, E.O. Wilson #805 (3 workers).