Polyrhachis fisheri

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Rigato (2016) - A large, relatively slender species in the militaris group with elongate oval head, bulging eyes, longitudinally striate sculpture on most of head and mesosoma and very long and abundant standing hairs.

Polyrhachis fisheri looks very similar to Polyrhachis latispina, with which it may be confused. The main differences between them are listed below. Polyrhachis sulcate André looks also similar, but it has a fully immarginate propodeum and a stronger rugosity covering the whole body:

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Gabon.

Nomenclature

 *  fisheri. Polyrhachis fisheri Rigato, 2016: 20, figs. 5a-c (w.) GABON.

Worker
Holotype. HL 2.50, HW 1.87, CI 75, SL 2.98, SI 159, FW 0.98, FI 52, PW 1.53, WL 3.57, HTL 3.33.

Clypeus with a blunt longitudinal median carina, its anterior margin evenly convex and shallowly notched in the middle. Head in full face view elongate oval, strongly convex behind the eyes. Eyes placed relatively posteriorly and strongly bulging. Mesosoma moderately elongate, in profile broadly convex and interrupted by the sutures; metanotal suture more impressed than the promesonotal one. Pronotal spines long, mostly anteriorly directed. Pronotum and mesonotum almost flat transversely; propodeal dorsum weakly convex. Mesosoma distinctly marginate along its sides, the margination runs as narrow flanges along pronotum and mesonotum. In dorsal view mesonotum about 1.5 times as wide as long, propodeal dorsum slightly longer than wide. Propodeal dorsum and declivity separated by a sudden change of sculpturation. Propodeal teeth relatively long, upturned and spine-like, almost as long as the propodeal declivity. Petiole with four long spines, the dorsal pair almost parallel, upward and slightly backward directed and about 1.5 times as long as the lateral pair. First gastral tergite anteriorly flat.

Mandibles mostly finely longitudinally striolate and with sparse, small piligerous pits. Head dorsum and dorsum and sides of the mesosoma mostly distinctly longitudinally rugose. This sculpturation is regular, except anteriorly on the head, including clypeus, and below the eyes, where it is prevailingly reticulate-rugose. Propodeal declivity superficially and finely reticulate-imbricate with few weak superimposed longitudinal rugulae. Petiole rugose: the rugae encircling most of the tergite, irregular on the anterior face; space between the mid pair of spines longitudinally rugose. Ground sculpture weak on most of the body. Gaster finely reticulate-punctate, almost all of the anterior half of the dorsum of the first gastral tergite with a superimposed fine, posteriorly vanishing, longitudinal rugulation. Scapes and legs mostly roughly reticulate-punctate with distinct piligerous pits; forelegs more finely and superficially sculptured.

Standing hairs yellowish, abundant throughout and very long: the longest hairs on the appendages are about as long as thrice the scape diameter at midlength and twice the maximum tibial width. Pubescence inconspicuous on the body, minute and very sparse on the gaster.

Colour mostly black throughout, mandibular apices, except the black teeth, ferrugineous.

Type Material
Holotype. GABON: Prov. Woleu-Ntem, 31.3 km 108° ESE Minvoul, 2°04,8’N 12°24.4’E, 600 m, 12.ii.1998 (B.L. Fisher) #1693-2.