Polyrhachis schistacea

Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis militaris species-group.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Angola, Cameroun, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Nomenclature

 * carinatus. Polyrhachis carinatus Smith, F. 1858b: 71, pl. 4, figs. 48, 49 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. [Junior secondary homonym of carinata Fabricius, above.] Senior synonym of rugulosus: Emery, 1896d: 379; hence the latter is first available replacement name for this taxon: Bolton, 1995b: 345.
 *  schistacea. Hoplomyrmus schistaceus Gerstäcker, 1859: 262 (w.) MOZAMBIQUE. [Also described as new by Gerstäcker, 1862: 508.] Forel, 1907a: 38 (q.). Combination in Polyrhachis: Mayr, 1863: 446; in P. (Myrma): Santschi, 1914b: 140. Subspecies of militaris: André, 1887: 288. Revived status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 268; Forel, 1907a: 38; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1000; Arnold, 1924: 742; Bolton, 1973b: 318. Senior synonym of atrociliata, divina, divinoides, fracta, gagatoides, rugulosus (and its junior synonyms cafrorum, carinatus) and material of the unavailable names beguelensis, mediopilosa, subplana referred here: Bolton, 1973b: 318.
 * rugulosus. Polyrhachis rugulosus Mayr, 1862: 685, pl. 19, fig. 7 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Arnold, 1924: 744 (q.). Junior synonym of, and hence first available replacement name for, carinatus Smith, F. 1858b: 71 [Junior secondary homonym of Formica carinata Fabricius, 1804: 413.]: Emery, 1896d: 379; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1002. Combination in P. (Myrma): Santschi, 1914b: 141. Subspecies of militaris: Mayr, 1893: 197; of schistacea: Stitz, 1910: 151; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1002; Arnold, 1924: 744. Senior synonym of cafrorum: Mayr, 1893: 197; Forel, 1894b: 72. Junior synonym of schistacea: Bolton, 1973b: 318.
 * cafrorum. Polyrhachis militaris r. cafrorum Forel, 1879a: 120 (w.q.m.) SOUTH AFRICA. Raised to species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 260. Junior synonym of rugulosus: Mayr, 1893: 197; Forel, 1894b: 72.
 * atrociliata. Polyrhachis (Myrma) schistacea st. atrociliata Santschi, 1913c: 314 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. [Also described as new by Santschi, 1914b: 141.] Raised to species: Santschi, 1933b: 108. Junior synonym of schistacea: Bolton, 1973b: 318.
 * divina. Polyrhachis schistacea var. divina Forel, 1913b: 348 (in text) (w.) TANZANIA. Combination in P. (Myrma): Santschi, 1914b: 141. Junior synonym of schistacea: Bolton, 1973b: 318.
 * gagatoides. Polyrhachis (Myrma) schistacea var. gagatoides Santschi, 1913c: 314 (w.) CONGO. [Also described as new by Santschi, 1914b: 142.] Junior synonym of schistacea: Bolton, 1973b: 318.
 * fracta. Polyrhachis (Myrma) schistacea st. fracta Santschi, 1914b: 141 (w.) KENYA. Junior synonym of schistacea: Bolton, 1973b: 318.
 * divinoides. Polyrhachis schistacea var. divinoides Arnold, 1924: 744 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. [First available use of Polyrhachis schistacea r. rugulosa var. divinoides Forel, 1913b: 348; unavailable name.] Junior synonym of schistacea: Bolton, 1973b: 318.