Key to Sulawesi Polyrhachis relucens-group species

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Kohout 2008a.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2008a. A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi with keys and descriptions of new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 52:255-317. PDF]]

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Polyrhachis

1

 * Distinctly bicoloured with body mostly black and legs, at least in part, orange or light red . . . . . 2


 * Unicoloured; black throughout with only legs sometimes dark to very dark reddish-brown . . . . . 4

2
return to couplet #1
 * Petiole without spines or teeth, obtusely angular; femora, petiole and base of gaster light reddish-brown . . . . . Polyrhachis rufofemorata


 * Petiole with spines, teeth or both in various configurations; legs distinctly orange or light red . . . . . 3

3
return to couplet #2
 * Whole body, including appendages with abundant, short to medium length hairs and somewhat untidy, relatively long appressed pubescence; propodeal dorsum with upturned teeth; declivity oblique . . . . . Polyrhachis compressicornis


 * Head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster covered with short to medium length hairs and closely appressed pubescence that is completely absent from legs; propodeal dorsum without teeth; declivity very steep, virtually vertical . . . . . Polyrhachis ithona

4
return to couplet #1
 * Antennal scapes with bases distinctly broadened and strongly bent . . . . . Polyrhachis bosi


 * Antennal scapes without bases broadened, straight . . . . . 5

5
return to couplet #4
 * Smaller species (HL <2.00) . . . . . 6


 * Larger species (HL >2.00) . . . . . 9

6
return to couplet #5
 * Body very finely sculptured, highly polished, jet-black; medium length hairs scattered over most surfaces; closely appressed pubescene lacking . . . . . Polyrhachis cybele


 * Body reticulate-punctate, opaque below abundant, closely appressed pubescence . . . . . 7

7
return to couplet #6
 * Dorsum of mesosoma with mesonotum and propodeum virtually flat in lateral view; propodeal declivity concave; petiolar spines very short; golden appressed pubescence present over most body surfaces . . . . . Polyrhachis brachyspina


 * Dorsum of mesosoma evenly convex in lateral view; propodeal declivity oblique; appressed pubescence white or silvery . . . . . 8

8
return to couplet #7
 * Petiole rather robust, distinctly biconvex in profile, dorsum with very prominent lateral teeth and short, weakly dorsoposteriorly elevated spines; eyes weakly truncate posteriorly; relatively short hairs over most body surfaces, including legs . . . . . Polyrhachis numeria


 * Petiole very slender with only obtusely angular, not prominent, lateral teeth and strongly dorsally elevated spines; eyes not truncate; only a few hairs arising from front of head and gastral apex, hairs completely absent from mesosomal dorsum . . . . . Polyrhachis festina

9
return to couplet #5
 * Propodeal teeth very prominent, dorsally flattened and curved upwards and outwards . . . . . Polyrhachis hastata


 * Propodeal teeth not prominent, short or rudimentary . . . . . 10

10
return to couplet #9
 * Dorsum of head and mesosoma rather regularly, more-or-less longitudinally striate . . . . . 11


 * Dorsum of head and mesosoma more-or-less uniformly reticulate-punctate without evident longitudinal pattern . . . . . 16

11
return to couplet #10
 * Gaster distinctly, finely, longitudinally striate . . . . . 12


 * Gaster finely reticulate-punctate . . . . . 14

12
return to couplet #11
 * Dorsum of petiole straight with rather distinct intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis striatorugosa


 * Dorsum of petiole ‘U’-shaped without intercallary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis sculpturata

13

 * Body, including appendages with abundant, medium to long erect hairs . . . . . 15


 * Body virtually without hairs, except for a few erect hairs on front of head and around gastral apex . . . . . Polyrhachis isacantha

14
return to couplet #11
 * Gaster reticulate-punctate, opaque; dorsum of petiole with short intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis rixosa


 * Gaster very finely shagreened, highly polished (in some specimens dorsum of first gastral segment at summit with indication of very fine longitudinal striae); intercalary petiolar tooth acute and rather prominent . . . . . Polyrhachis nigropilosa

15
return to couplet #13
 * Body with distinct, pale or rich golden, closely appressed, abundant pubescence over most dorsal surfaces . . . . . 17


 * Body with very diluted, white or greyish, appressed pubescence, virtually absent from most dorsal surfaces . . . . . 18

16
return to couplet #10
 * Dorsal petiolar spines shorter than distance between their bases; dorsum of petiole with distinct acute intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis decipiens


 * Dorsal petiolar spines very slender, curved and distinctly longer than distance between their bases; dorsum of petiole without intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis olena

17
return to couplet #15
 * Pronotal spines virtually straight; petiole with parallel spines and rudimentary intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis brendelli


 * Pronotal spines curved, bullhorn-shaped; petiole with spines diverging, dorsum without intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis browni