Polyrhachis armata

Polyrhachis armata is a very widespread and distinctive south-east Asian species of the subgenus Myrmhopla.

Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis armata species group.

Distribution
Kohout (2008) - A relatively common species that extends from the Andaman Islands and Indo-China, including Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, eastwards to the Philippines and south to Borneo, Sumatra and Java. It was listed from Sulawesi by Emery (1901), however, I have not seen any specimens originating from east of Wallace’s line.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines. Oriental Region: Cambodia, India, Laos, Thailand. Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  armata. Formica armata Le Guillou, 1842: 313 (q.) PHILIPPINES. Mayr, 1867a: 46 (w.); Karavaiev, 1927e: 29 (m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1990b: 759 (l.). Combination in Polyrhachis: Roger, 1863b: 9; in P. (Myrmhopla): Forel, 1915b: 107. Senior synonym of pandarus: Roger, 1863b: 9. Current subspecies: nominal plus defensa. See also: Bingham, 1903: 393.
 * pandarus. Polyrhachis pandarus Smith, F. 1857a: 62 (w.) BORNEO. Mayr, 1862: 679 (q.). Junior synonym of armata: Roger, 1863b: 9.

Type Material
Kohout (2008) - Holotype queen. PHILIPPINES, MINDANAO, Zamboanga, ? (type presumed lost).