Polyrhachis jerdonii

Known from a few isolated collections from Sri Lanka.

Identification
Kohout (2006) - A member of the Polyrhachis cryptoceroides species group. Similar to Polyrhachis thailandica. Both have a laterally marginate mesosoma and a weakly indicated metanotal groove. They differ in the general sculpturation of the body that, in P. jerdonii, is very finely reticulate-punctate, while it is distinctly more coarsely sculptured in P. thailandica.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Sri Lanka.

Nomenclature

 *  jerdonii. Polyrhachis jerdonii Forel, 1892m: 17 (footnote) (w.) SRI LANKA. Forel, 1893c: 17 (q.). Combination in P. (Myrmhopla): Emery, 1925b: 191. [Also described as new by Forel, 1893c: 17.] See also: Kohout, 2006a: 146.

Worker
Kohout (2006) – syntypes: TL c. 4.94 - 5.29; HL 1.25 - 1.31; HW 1.26 - 1.37; CI 101 - 104; SL 1.22 - 1.25; SI 91 - 97; PW 1.18 - 1.31; MTL 1.31 - 1.40 (3 workers measured). additional worker: TL c. 5.09; HL 1.28; HW 1.29; CI 101; SL 1.22; SI 94; PW 1.22; MTL 1.34 (1 worker measured).

Type Material
Kohout (2006) – Syntype workers. Type locality: Sri Lanka (Yerbury), MHNG (examined).

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
 * Dias R. K. S. 2002. Current knowledge on ants of Sri Lanka. ANeT Newsletter 4: 17- 21.
 * Dias R. K. S. 2006. Current taxonomic status of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. The Fauna of Sri Lanka: 43-52. Bambaradeniya, C.N.B. (Editor), 2006. Fauna of Sri Lanka: Status of Taxonomy, Research and Conservation. The World Conservation Union, Colombo, Sri Lanka & Government of Sri Lanka. viii + 308pp.
 * Dias R. K. S., H. P. G. R. C. Ruchirani, K. R. K. A. Kosgamage, and H. A. W. S. Peiris. 2013. Frequency of nest occurrence and nest density of Aneuretus simoni Emery (Sri Lankan Relict Ant) and other ant fauna in an abandoned rubber plantation (Kirikanda Forest) in southwest Sri Lanka. Asian Myrmecology 5: 59-67.
 * Dias R. K. S., K. R. K. A. Kosgamage, and H. A. W. S. Peiris. 2012. The Taxonomy and Conservation Status of Ants (Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Formicidae) in Sri Lanka. In: The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora. Weerakoon, D.K. & S. Wijesundara Eds., Ministry of Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka. p11-19.
 * Dias R. K. S., and K. R. K. Anuradha Kosgamage. 2012. Occurrence and species diversity of ground-dwelling worker ants (Family: Formicidae) in selected lands in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 7: 55-72.
 * Dias R. K. S., and R. P. K. C. Rajapaksa. 2016. Geographic records of subfamilies, genera and species of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the four climatic zones of Sri Lanka: a review. J. Sci. Univ. Kelaniya 11(2): 23-45.
 * 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. Ameisen gesammelt in Ceylon von Dr. W. Horn 1899. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 1901: 113-122.
 * Forel A. 1893. Les Formicides de l'Empire des Indes et de Ceylan. Part III. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 8: 17-36.
 * Herwina H., R. Satria, Yaherwandi, and Y. Sakamaki. 2018. Subterranean ant species diversity (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in educational and biological research forest of universitas andalas, Indonesia. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 6(1): 1720-1724.
 * Kohout R.J. 2006. A review of the Polyrhachis cryptoceroides species-group with description of a new species from Thailand. Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 145-150.