Polyrhachis ornata

Nests can be very numerous, with the colonies usually occupying large hollow branches high in trees.

Distribution
North Queensland to Victoria, where 'P. ornata'' has been recorded as far south as Bemm River.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  ornata. Polyrhachis ornata Mayr, 1876: 73 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Combination in P. (Hedomyrma): Forel, 1915b: 107. Senior synonym of chrysothorax, humerosa: Kohout, 1988c: 435.
 * humerosa. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) humerosa Emery, 1921e: 18 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of ornata: Kohout, 1988c: 435.
 * chrysothorax. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) chrysothorax Viehmeyer, 1925b: 148 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1974a: 62 (l.). Junior synonym of ornata: Kohout, 1988c: 435.

Type Material


Kohout (1988) - The original locality of P. humerosa was given as Adelaide, but I have never seen specimens collected in South Australia. I believe that the locality given by Emery is questionable, more so as the label under a syntype from the MCG reads' Adelaide M', with the edge cut just through the letter 'M'. There apparently is no Adelaide M(ountain) in Australia, but Mount Adelaide is located in the Conondale Range in South East Queensland, where P. ornata is a common species. I suggest that this was the true source of the humerosa types. This is supported by the close similarity between recent Conondale Range collections and the syntype.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Kohout R. J. 1988. Nomenclatural changes and new Australian records in the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 25: 429-438
 * Taylor R. W., and D. R. Brown. 1985. Formicoidea. Zoological Catalogue of Australia 2: 1-149.
 * Vanderwoude C., A. N. Andersen, and A. P. N. House. 1997. Community organisation, biogeography and seasonality of ants in a open forest of south-eastern Queensland. Australian Journal of Zoology 45: 523-537.