Polyrhachis muelleri

A widely ranging forest species that uses larval silk to construct nests on the underside of leaves.

Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis hector species group.

Distribution
Kohout (2008) - Polyrhachis muelleri is a widespread species recorded from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra and Java.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore. Oriental Region: Thailand.

Biology
The fairly transparent silk-woven nest of about 10 cm in length is situated beneath a leaf of a ginger plant about 2 m above ground, in a primary rainforest. Larvae and pupae appear greenish; only the adult ants are black and thus well visible against the sunlight.

The biology of P. muelleri was described in detail by Dorow et al. (1990). Colonies are monogynous with 17 workers on average (n=19)

Castes
Very slight difference in body size between queens and workers (Dorow et al. 1990)

Nomenclature

 *  muelleri. Polyrhachis muelleri Forel, 1893c: 32 (w.) SINGAPORE. Forel, 1901d: 302 (q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1990b: 754 (l.). Combination in P. (Myrmhopla): Emery, 1925b: 193.

Type Material
Kohout (2008) - Syntype workers. SINGAPORE (A. Müller), (examined).