Polyrhachis hispida

The type material was collected in a fogging sample from coffee at 1100m.

Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis wallacei species group.

Kohout (2008) - Polyrhachis hispida  is most similar to Polyrhachis wallacei, however, it differs in having the body covered with abundant, relatively long, hairs.

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

Nomenclature

 *  hispida. Polyrhachis hispida Kohout, 2008a: 290, figs. 11C-D (w.) INDONESIA (Sulawesi).

Worker
TL c. 5.19; HL 1.37; HW 1.15; CI 84; SL 1.62; SI 141; PW 0.72; MTL 1.81 (1 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin with median, relatively wide, shallowly and widely emarginate flange, flanked laterally by distinct, acute denticles. Clypeus with strong, distinctly raised median carina; in profile clypeus straight, very shallowly impressed anteriorly, posteriorly rounding into well impressed basal margin, laterally indicated by sculpture-breaking line. Frontal triangle weakly indicated. Frontal carinae sinuate with narrowly raised margins; central area wide with frontal furrow only weakly indicated. Sides of head in front of eyes straight, converging anteriorly towards mandibular bases; behind eyes sides rounding into convex occipital margin. Eyes convex, relatively large, in full face view clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotum in dorsal view with evenly rounded lateral margins that are poorly indicated posteriorly. Dorsum of mesosoma with lateral margins very weakly raised and converging posteriorly. Metanotal groove forming a thin, posteriorly bowed line. Propodeum with lateral margins terminating in upturned, acute teeth; inner margins of teeth continued medially and meeting, forming a short, rather weak, transverse ridge, separating propodeal dorsum from declivity. Petiole with anterior and posterior faces virtually straight; dorsum armed with a pair of slender, acute, dorsolaterally directed, widely diverging spines. Anterior face of first gastral segment distinctly higher than full height of petiole, widely rounding onto dorsum.

Mandibles very finely striate at bases; very smooth and polished towards masticatory borders with numerous piliferous pits. Head, mesosoma and petiole mostly finely reticulate-punctate with sculpturation on vertex, sides of mesosoma and petiole more densely punctate. Clypeus anteriorly and laterally with reticulae longitudinally directed. Antennal scapes very densely reticulate-punctate. Pronotal dorsum with irregular longitudinal striate that curve outwards posteriorly. Mesonotum more regularly, longitudinal striate; propodeal dorsum reticulate-punctate. Legs, including coxae, rather shallowly reticulate punctate. Gaster finely shagreened, rather polished.

Mandibles with numerous, short and medium length, curved, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with one long seta medially and numerous short setae fringing margin laterally. Antennae, including funiculi, with numerous short and medium length, mostly erect hairs. Front of head with numerous, rather long hairs, some almost as long as greatest diameter of eye; hairs erect on clypeus and somewhat anteriorly curved along frontal carinae and on vertex. Numerous, semierect hairs fringing outline of head in full face view. Pronotal and mesonotal dorsa with numerous erect hairs, a little shorter than those on dorsum of head. Propodeum with very short, semierect, anteriorly directed hairs on dorsum; declivity with hairs lacking, smooth and polished. Gaster with abundant, relatively long hairs over all surfaces, except anterior face. Relatively long, appressed and decumbent, golden pubescence in various densities over all dorsal surfaces of head; somewhat shorter, more silvery pubescence on dorsum of mesosoma; gastral dorsum with rather dense, white-greyish pubescence.

Whole body distinctly orange; head, notably upon vertex, and sides mesosoma with reddish hue. Dorsum of first gastral segment paler, yellowish-orange. Outer and masticatory margins of mandibles, anterior clypeal margin, frontal carinae, pronotal collar and ventral margins of meso-and metathoracic sternites narrowly bordered with dark brown.

Type Material
HOLOTYPE: SULAWESI UTARA: Dumoga-Bone NP, nr Danau Mooat, 1100m, 1.viii.1985, coffee fog., N.E. Stork et al. (worker). Unique holotype in.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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.