Key to New Guinea Polyrhachis Cyrtomyrma

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Kohout 2006b.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 2006b. Review of Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) of Australia, Borneo, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with descriptions of new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 52:87-146. PDF]]

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 * Polyrhachis
 * Cyrtomyrma

1

 * Pronotal humeri in dorsal view toothed, obtusely angular, or narrowly rounded; greatest width of pronotal dorsum across, or just behind shoulders . . . . . 2


 * Pronotal humeri in dorsal view widely rounded; greatest width of pronotal dorsum at about mid-length of segment . . . . . 10

2
return to couplet #1
 * Propodeum armed with a pair of more-or-less distinct spines . . . . . 3


 * Propodeum totally unarmed . . . . . 7

3
return to couplet #2
 * Pronotal humeri bilobed or produced into prominent teeth . . . . . 4


 * Pronotal shoulders angular or narrowly rounded . . . . . 5

4
return to couplet #3
 * Propodeal spines long, dorso-ventrally compressed, widely diverging and bluntly terminated (Aru Is) . . . . . Polyrhachis levior


 * Propodeal spines very short, upturned and acute . . . . . Polyrhachis albertisi

5
return to couplet #3
 * Propodeal spines long, dorsoventrally compressed, widely diverging and bluntly terminated; lateral petiolar spines distinctly longer than dorsal pair . . . . . Polyrhachis barryi (in part - also )


 * Propodeal spines short, acute, strongly upturned . . . . . 6

6
return to couplet #5
 * Larger species (HL >1.68) . . . . . Polyrhachis linae


 * Smaller species (HL 1.56) . . . . . Polyrhachis mondoi

7
return to couplet #2
 * Pronotal shoulders produced into prominent teeth (Aru Is) . . . . . Polyrhachis aruensis


 * Pronotal shouders angular or narrowly rounded . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Larger species (HL 2.09); head very broad with eyes rather flat, in full face view not reaching lateral cephalic outline (Bismarck Archipelago) . . . . . Polyrhachis ralumensis


 * Smaller species (HL <1.76); eyes convex, in full face view clearly extending beyond lateral cephalic outline . . . . . 9

9
return to couplet #8
 * Pronotal dorsum with anterior face distinctly convex in profile; propodeal declivity oblique; legs orange or light red . . . . . Polyrhachis rastellata


 * Pronotal dorsum with anterior face almost straight in profile; propodeal declivity virtually vertical; legs very dark reddish-brown . . . . . Polyrhachis strumosa

10
return to couplet #1
 * Propodeum armed with a pair of more-or-less distinct spines or tubercles . . . . . . 11


 * Propodeum totally unarmed . . . . . 17

11
return to couplet #10
 * Pronotal dorsum in profile elevated, distinctly convex . . . . . 12


 * Pronotal dorsum only weakly convex or flat . . . . . 13

12
return to couplet #11
 * Lateral petiolar spines distinctly elongated; summit of pronotal dorsum only marginally higher than dorsum of mesonotum (Seram I.) . . . . . Polyrhachis goramensis


 * Lateral petiolar spines very short, rudimentary; summit of pronotal dorsum distinctly higher than dorsum of mesonotum . . . . . Polyrhachis integra

13
return to couplet #11
 * Larger species (HL >1.55) . . . . . 14


 * Smaller species (HL <1.50) . . . . . . 16

14
return to couplet #13
 * Propodeal spines well developed, dorso-ventrally compressed; pronotal humeri rounded, weakly subangular . . . . . 15


 * Propodeal spines rudimentary or present only as distinct tuberculae; pronotal humeri evenly rounded; petiole strongly transverse with dorsal spines reduced to minute denticles, lateral spines slender, widely diverging . . . . . Polyrhachis wagneri

15
return to couplet #14
 * Petiole with spines more-or-less subequal; propodeal spines short, strongly upturned (Bismarck Archipelago) . . . . . Polyrhachis leonidas


 * Petiole with lateral spines distinctly longer than dorsal spines; propodeal spines long, only weakly upturned . . . . . . Polyrhachis barryi (in part - also )

16
return to couplet #13
 * Body covered with abundant appressed and decumbent hair; propodeal spines short, upturned; lateral petiolar spines long, slender . . . . . Polyrhachis inducta


 * Body with only sparse appressed hair; propodeal spines very short or present as mere denticles or tuberculae; petiolar spines subequal . . . . . Polyrhachis debilis

17
return to couplet #10
 * Petiole virtually parallel-sided; petiolar spines very short, rudimentary . . . . . Polyrhachis brevinoda


 * Petiole with sides dorsally diverging; petiolar spines of various configurtions, well developed . . . . . 18

18
return to couplet #17
 * Head, mesosoma and petiole distinctly, closely reticulate-punctate, opaque . . . . . 19


 * Head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster very finely shagreened, rather smooth . . . . . 20

19
return to couplet #18
 * Pronotal dorsum distinctly swollen, exceptionally high, with medially impressed longitudinal furrow along summit . . . . . Polyrhachis inflata


 * Pronotal dorsum not distinctly swollen, without longitudinal furrow on summit . . . . . Polyrhachis luctuosa

20
return to couplet #18
 * Petiole with pair of long, slender, outward- and backward-directed lateral spines, dorsal pair reduced to minute denticles; body surfaces smooth and highly polished . . . . . Polyrhachis sedlaceki


 * Petiole with lateral spines only marginally longer than dorsal pair or all spines subequal in length . . . . . 21

21
return to couplet #20
 * Body with numerous appressed and decumbent hairs . . . . . . . . . . 22


 * Body with only very sparse, short appressed hairs . . . . . 23

22
return to couplet #21
 * Larger species (HL>1.47); lateral petiolar spines distinctly longer than dorsal pair; body pubescence rather diluted (New Guinea) . . . . . Polyrhachis nomo


 * Smaller species (HL<1.40); petiolar spines subequal; body pubescence abundant (Australia, Papua) . . . . . Polyrhachis decumbens

23
return to couplet #21
 * Mesosomal dorsum in profile with evenly convex outline . . . . . Polyrhachis euryala


 * Mesosomal dorsum in profile with distinctly uneven outline . . . . . 24

24
return to couplet #23
 * Propodeal declivity oblique . . . . . 25


 * Propodeal declivity virtually vertical . . . . . 27

25
return to couplet #24
 * Pronotal dorsum exceptionally high, with short, medially impressed longitudinal furrow . . . . . . Polyrhachis conspicua


 * Pronotal dorsum not exceptionally high, longitudinal furrow lacking . . . . . 26

26
return to couplet #25
 * Anterior face of pronotal dorsum ascending towards rather short summit in very weakly convex, almost straight line . . . . . Polyrhachis tuberosa


 * Anterior face of pronotal dorsum ascending in strongly convex line towards distinctly swollen dorsum; pronotal-mesonotal summit relatively long . . . . . Polyrhachis dorsena

27
return to couplet #24
 * Mesosoma in outline with pronotal dorsum strongly convex, rather swollen; propodeum relatively low . . . . . Polyrhachis hybosa


 * Mesosoma in outline with only weakly convex, rather low pronotal dorsum and distinctly high propodeum (Bismarck Archipelago) . . . . . 28

28
return to couplet #27
 * Eyes distinctly convex, clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline in full face view; propodeal declivity lower, weakly concave at base; petiole with anterior face almost straight and posterior face convex . . . . . Polyrhachis aporema


 * Eyes rather flat, situated well inside cephalic outline in full face view; propodeal declivity higher, virtually vertical; petiole distinctly biconvex . . . . . Polyrhachis kyawthani