Polyrhachis fervens

Can be found nesting in the dry hollow stems of bamboo.

Identification
Kohout (2008) - There are two members of the subgenus Hedomyrma present in Sulawesi:


 * Distinctly bicoloured; head and tarsi black with mesosoma, petiole and femora light reddish-brown; gaster and tibiae distinctly darker . . . . . Polyrhachis fervens


 * Unicoloured; black throughout (in copal) . . . . . Polyrhachis circumdata

Distribution
The distribution of P. fervens  extends from eastern Indonesia (Halmahera, Seram and Ambon Is) to New Guinea and south to Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. It is known from lowland rainforests at Bamaga near the tip of Cape York Peninsula and at Iron Range.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia. Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea, Sulawesi.

Nomenclature

 *  fervens. Polyrhachis fervens Smith, F. 1860b: 101, pl. 1, fig. 26 (w.) INDONESIA (Ambon I.). Combination in P. (Dolichorhachis): Emery, 1925b: 189; in P. (Hedomyrma): Dorow, 1995: 27; Bolton, 1995b: 348. Senior synonym of indocilis, kershawi, valerus: Kohout, 1988c: 434.
 * valerus. Polyrhachis valerus Smith, F. 1861b: 40, pl. 1, fig. 10 (w.) INDONESIA (Sulawesi). Combination in P. (Hedomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 190. Junior synonym of fervens: Kohout, 1988c: 434.
 * bicolor. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) bicolor Karavaiev, 1927e: 21, fig. 11 (w.) INDONESIA (Ambon I.). [Junior primary homonym of bicolor Smith, above.] Replacement name: indocilis Santschi, 1928h: 139.
 * indocilis. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) indocilis Santschi, 1928h: 139. Replacement name for bicolor Karavaiev, 1927e: 21. [Junior primary homonym of bicolor Smith, F. 1858b: 65.] Junior synonym of fervens: Kohout, 1988c: 434.
 * kershawi. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) kershawi Clark, 1930c: 12, fig. 1 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of fervens: Kohout, 1988a: 434.

Type Material
Kohout (2008) - Holotype worker. INDONESIA, Ambon I. (A. R. Wallace), (examined).



Kohout (1988) - Prof. Radchenko of the Zoological Institute, Kiev, informs me that the unique holotype of Karawajew's homonym P. bicolor cannot be found in the Karawajew collection, and is presumed lost. However, the original description and illustration are sufficient to establish its synonymy beyond reasonable doubt.

Polyrhachis fervens

Holotype worker in. Labelled “Amb.” (= Ambon I.) and with a Donisthorpe type-label.

Polyrhachis valerus

The specimen in labelled as type by Donisthorpe matches the rather poor description well, but the data label upon it reads “Men.” (= Manado, Sulawesi). The type-loclaity recorded by Smith is “Celebes, Tondano.”