Polyrhachis tricuspis

Identification
Kohout (2008) - I have examined the unique holotype queen of P. tricuspis and compared it directly with a single available queen of Polyrhachis ternatae from Seram I. The latter is a part of a series of specimens collected by W.M. Mann (Ceram, Piroe, 1937 NGS SI Exp.), with accompanied workers that have been compared with the syntype of P. ternatae and considered conspecific. In the original description, Karawajew compared P. ternatae (=P. tricuspis) with Polyrhachis frauenfeldi from Java, however, it is more similar to Polyrhachis aequalis from the Philippines. Both species have short, but distinct humeral teeth, almost identical sculpturation of the mesosomal dorsum, subequal petiolar spines and a reddish-brown body and appendages. They mainly differ in the form of the median portion of the anterior clypeal margin that, in P. ternatae, has a widely open, V-shaped emargination, while it is simply truncate in P. aequalis.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia.

Nomenclature

 *  tricuspis. Polyrhachis tricuspis André, 1887: 284 (q.) INDONESIA (Ambon I.). Combination in P. (Myrmothrinax): Emery, 1925b: 184. Senior synonym of ternatae: Kohout, 2008a: 259.
 * ternatae. Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) ternatae Karavaiev, 1933b: 105, fig. 7 (w.) INDONESIA (Ternate I.). Junior synonym of tricuspis: Kohout, 2008a: 259.

Type Material
Kohout (2008) - Holotype queen (alate). INDONESIA, Ambon I.,, (examined).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * André E. 1887. Description de quelques fourmis nouvelles ou imparfaitement connues. Rev. Entomol. (Caen) 6: 280-298.
 * Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
 * Emery C. 1886. Saggio di un catalogo sistematico dei generi Camponotus, Polyrhachis e affini. Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna 5: 363-382
 * Karavaiev V. 1930. Ameisen von den Molukken und Neuguinea. (Ergebnisse der Sunda-Expedition der Notgemeinschaft der deutschen Wissenschaft 1929/30.). Zool. Anz. 92: 206-214.
 * Karavaiev V. 1933. Ameisen aus dem Indo-Australischen Gebiet, VII. (Fortsetzung). Konowia 12: 103-120.
 * Latumahina F., M. Borovanska, N. S. Putra, and M. Janda. 2015. Ants of Ambon Island  diversity survey and checklist. ZooKeys 472: 4357.
 * Robson Simon Database Polyrhachis -05 Sept 2014
 * Viehmeyer H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und Anthropologische-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.