Polyrhachis lydiae

Kohout (2013): Polyrhachis lydiae is a relatively common species, frequently encountered in open eucalypt forests and savannah woodlands. They build nests in the ground with their entrances usually hidden under stones or tufts of grass. Polyrhachis lydiae ranges along the eastern Australian seaboard from about Townsville in north Queensland to just north of Newcastle in New South Wales.

Identification
Kohout (1988): Direct comparison of the Polyrhachis schenkii holotype with lydiae syntypes (Forel coll.) shows lydiae to be a distinct and valid species. The most obvious difference is the colour, which in lydiae ranges from light metallic green to greenish or bluish black, save for the anterior part of the pronotum, which is always more or less reddish brown. P. schenkii is uniformly light reddish brown. Also, the lateral margins of the pronotal and mesonotal dorsa are more strongly converging posteriorly in schenkii than in lydiae.

Kohout (2013): Polyrhachis lydiae is a very easily recognised species due to its characteristic colour pattern. The metallic green colour is unusual and, apart from P. lydiae, occurs in only one another Australian Polyrhachis species, Polyrhachis hookeri Lowne of the subgenus Chariomyrma. However, the combination of metallic green and reddish-brown in P. lydiae is unique.

Distribution
Known from Charters Towers in north Queensland, south to Raymond Terrace in central New South Wales.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  lydiae. Polyrhachis schencki r. lydiae Forel, 1902h: 523 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in P. (Hagiomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 185. Raised to species: Kohout, 1988c: 434.

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.