Polyrhachis hastata

Little is known about Polyrhachis hastata. A number of stray workers have been captured in malaise traps.

Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis relucens species group in the subgenus Myrma

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

Nomenclature

 *  hastata. Formica hastata Latreille, 1802c: 129, pl. 4, fig. 23 (w.) INDONESIA ("Indes orientales"). Combination in Polyrhachis: Smith, F. 1858b: 59; in P. (Myrma): Emery, 1925b: 201.

Type Material
Kohout (2008) - ?Holotype worker. ?INDONESIA (`Indes Orientales’) (Riche), ? (type presumed lost).

The type of P. hastata cannot be found in MNHN or in any other collection examined and must be considered lost. However, I have examined a few available identified specimens lodged in BMNH, HNHM, MCSN, MHNG and NHMW collections that conform well with the original description and illustration of P. hastata. These specimens are undoubtedly conspecific with recent material from Sulawesi.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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
 * Emery C. 1901. Formiciden von Celebes. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere 14:565-580.
 * Forel A. 1893. Les Formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part III. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 8: 17-36.
 * Kohout, R. J. 2008. 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.
 * Robson Simon Database Polyrhachis -05 Sept 2014
 * Smith F. 1861. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the islands of Ceram, Celebes, Ternate, and Gilolo. [part]. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology 6: 36-48.
 * 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.