Polyrhachis laevissima

Nothing is known about the biology of Polyrhachis laevissima.

Identification
Polyrhachis laevissima closely resembles Polyrhachis sulang, but the latter differs in having a distinctly lower and more evenly convex mesosomal profile. They also differ in the configuration of the petiolar spines, with those in Polyrhachis laevissima reduced to obtuse teeth, while the lateral teeth in Polyrhachis sulang are distinctly elongate. The legs in Polyrhachis laevissima are distinctly light red, while in Polyrhachis sulang the legs are darker with black coxae. (Kohout 2006)

Distribution
Polyrhachis laevissima is distributed from Myanmar and India to Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Java, with more recent records from Borneo (Maliau Basin, Sabah).

This taxon was described from Myanmar.

Nomenclature

 *  laevissima. Polyrhachis laevissimus Smith, F. 1858b: 64, pl. 4, fig. 42 (w.) MYANMAR. Mayr, 1879: 651 (q.); Bingham, 1903: 402 (m.). Combination in P. (Cyrtomyrma): Wheeler, W.M. 1919e: 137. Senior synonym of globularia: Mayr, 1879: 651. See also: Kohout, 2006b: 113. Current subspecies: nominal plus dichroa.
 * globularia. Polyrhachis globularia Mayr, 1867a: 41 (w.) INDONESIA (Java). Junior synonym of laevissima: Mayr, 1879: 651.

Worker
Length 2-1/4 lines. Black, smooth and shining, with the coxae, femora and tibiae ferruginous. Head large, wider than the thorax, the latter widest in front, gradually narrowed to the apex of the metathorax; the anterior margin of the thorax rounded, the lateral angles acute, the disk very convex, the metathorax oblique. The scale of the peduncle incrassate, subquadrate, the superior margin notched in the middle, the lateral angles produced and acute. Abdomen globose.

Queen
Femina: Long. 8-10 Mm. Nigra, pedibus ferugineis, tibiis basi tarsisque nigris; subnuda; tenuisime coriaceo-rugulosa et insuper punctulis valde superficialibus, dispersissime pilos microscopicos et brevissimos gerentibus; nitidissima, mandibuliS disperse punctatis et insuper, basi excepta, delicatule striolatis; clypeus absque carina mediana, margine antico in medio emarginato et bidentato; thorax inermis; petioli squama modice incrassata, obtrapezoidalis, margine sutperiore curvato, in medio modice emarginato, angulis acutis; alae infuscatae. (Mayr 1879)

Male
Similar to the queen, smaller; thorax shorter, proportionately deeper; mesonotum remarkably gibbous in front, head and abdomen very much smaller; wings as in the queen but a shade lighter in colour. Length, 6 mm. (Bingham 1903)

Type Material
Holotype worker from - as reported by Kohout (2006).

Type Locality Information
MYANMAR (= Burma), col. Waring.

Additional References
Bingham, C.T. 1903. The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Hymenoptera 2. Ants and Cuckoo-Wasps: 506 p. London.

Kohout, R. J. 2006. 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.

Mayr, G. 1879. Beiträge zur Ameisen-Fauna Asiens. Verhandlungen der k.k. Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 28: 645-686.

Smith, F. 1858. Catalogue of Hymenopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum 6. Formicidae. London.