Polyrhachis aurora

Polyrhachis aurora is only known from two closely situated localities, Mt Elliot NP and the Paluma Ra., with all collections made in grassy open forests. Its nesting habit is unknown, but as all known specimens were collected foraging on the ground it can be assumed that P. aurora is a ground-nesting species, as are most other Australian Hagiomyrma.

Identification
Polyrhachis aurora is characterised by distinctly posteriorly converging lateral margins of the promesonotal dorsum and strongly divergent propodeal spines. It closely resembles Polyrhachis trapezoidea which shares posteriorly contracted (‘trapezoidal’) pronotal and mesonotal dorsa and relatively dark, somewhat brassy-coloured pilosity and pubescence. Polyrhachis aurora differs from P. trapezoidea in having the propodeal spines more divergent and the petiole with a very narrowly rounded dorsum (Fig. 1G-H). In contrast, the propodeal spines in ''P. trapezoidea' are only weakly divergent and the dorsum of petiole is a relatively wide, posteriorly sloping platform (Fig. 13G-H). Also, the bright red pubescence that covers most of the gastral dorsum in P. aurora, is limited to a rather narrow median patch in P. trapezoidea.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  aurora. Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) aurora Kohout, 2013: 506, figs. 1G-H (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Type Material


Type deposition: Holotype and 2 paratypes in ; 2 paratypes each in, , ,.

Polyrhachis aurora was listed as P. ‘Hagio 21’ by Kohout (2000: 200).