Polyrhachis metella

Kohout (2013): Polyrhachis metella is one of only two Hagiomyrma species that does not occur on the Australian mainland (the other is P. denticulata Karavaiev). It is evidently a rare species, manifestly missing from most recent collections.

Identification
Kohout (2013): Polyrhachis metella is a very unusual species that combines several unrelated characters, such as the deeply medially emarginate anterior clypeal margin, rather peculiar, disc-shaped mesonotal dorsum, extremely long and slender propodeal spines and appendages, very high declivity and flat topped petiole. Such a combination of characters, suggests that P. metella may be allied with species in the subgenus Hedomyrma. However, when Viehmeyer (1912) redescribed the worker of P. metella, he considered its unarmed pronotal shoulders a sufficient character to place it in the ammon-group. His decision was followed by Emery (1925) and all subsequent authors have included P. metella in the subgenus Hagiomyrma.

Distribution
This taxon was described from New Guinea.

Nomenclature

 *  metella. Polyrhachis metella Smith, F. 1860b: 99, pl. 1, figs. 20, 21 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Kohout, 2013: 526 (w.q.). Combination in P. (Hagiomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 185. See also: Viehmeyer, 1912: 10.

Type Material


Holotype worker in. Labelled “Dor. 15” (= Dory I., New Guinea) and with a Donisthorpe type-label.

Additional References

 * Kohout, R.J. 2013. Revision of Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) Wheeler, 1911 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, Nature 56, 487-577.