Polyrhachis pilosa

Opportunistic in choosing its nesting sites, in recent years Polyrhachis pilosa has become increasingly common in suburban parks and gardens, with their silk nests built not only between leaves, but also in various artificial cavities around houses, including door and window frames (Kohout 2006).

Identification
Polyrhachis pilosa is similar to Polyrhachis mackayi both having an evenly convex mesosomal dorsum, a completely unarmed propodeum and subequal petiolar spines. However, the former is easily distinguished by the cover of relatively long, erect hairs on the dorsum of the head and mesosoma (Kohout 2006).

Distribution
The main distribution of P. pilosa is similar to that of Polyrhachis mackayi, reaching its southern limit at about Taree in northern New South Wales. In the north P. pilosa appears to be rather patchily distributed, with confirmed records from around Townsville and as far north and west as Fourty Mile Scrub and Undara (ANA). (Kohout 2006)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Abundance
Common within its main range (~ south of Townsville to Taree).

Nomenclature

 *  pilosa. Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) rastellata var. pilosa Donisthorpe, 1938c: 256 (w.) AUSTRALIA. [First available use of Polyrhachis rastellata r. laevior var. pilosa Forel, 1902h: 527; unavailable name (Taylor, 1986: 34).] Raised to species: Kohout & Taylor, 1990: 518. See also: Kohout, 2006b: 102.

Worker
Metanotum sans trace d'epines. Tres semblable a la var. debelis Emery, mais tout le corps assez abondamment pourvu de poils dresses fins. Ca et la meme un poil sur les pattes. (Forel 1902)

Type Material
Wollongbar, Richmond River NEW SOUTH WALES, col. Froggatt. Syntype workers from examined by Kohout (2006).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Kohout R. J., and R. W. Taylor. 1990. Notes on Australian ants of the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, with a synonymic list of the species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 28: 509-522.
 * Robson Simon Ant Collection, 05-Sept-2014