Polyrhachis wellmani

The biology is not known but its close resemblance and therefore affinities with Polyrhachis schistacea suggests they have similar life histories.

Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis militaris species-group. Bolton (1973) - This species is so closely related to Polyrhachis schistacea that it would have been synonymized had it not been for a single character which appears to be consistent, namely the lack of lateral petiolar teeth. In size wellmani lies towards the lower end of the schistacea range and it may be that a more detailed investigation of smaller schistacea specimens will show a gradual diminution of ·the lateral petiolar teeth until a wellmani-like condition is reached.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia.

Nomenclature

 *  wellmani. Polyrhachis wellmani Forel, 1909b: 68 (w.) ANGOLA. Combination in P. (Myrma): Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1004. See also: Bolton, 1973b: 323.

Worker
Bolton (1973) - Tl 8.3-8.7, HL 2.22-2.37, HW 1.74-1.85, CI 78, SL 2.74-2.81, SI 152-157, PW 1.40-1.48, MTL 2.92-3.00. (3 measured.)

Very similar to Polyrhachis schistacea. Clypeus with a more or less distinct, truncate lobe, the anterior margin of which has numerous notches from which stout hairs arise. Eyes convex; sides of head in front of eyes convex. Alitrunk marginate laterally throughout its length, interrupted at the sutures. Pronotum armed with a pair of long spines, propodeum with a pair of short, thick upcurved teeth. Promesonotal suture distinct; metanotal groove impressed. Petiole with only a single pair of spines, situated at the dorsolateral angles of the segment. The lateral pair completely absent. Anterior face of first gastral segment shallowly concave.

Entire body with numerous erect yellow-white or off-white hairs and a long, dense pubescence which in part hides the sculpturation, especially on the dorsum of the alitrunk.

Head with a fine longitudinal rugulation overlying a fine reticulo-puncturation. Dorsum of alitrunk similarly sculptured but with the puncto-reticulate part of the sculpturation more distinct on the pronotum than on the following segments on which the longitudinal regulation predominates. Gaster finely and densely reticulate-punctate.

Type Material
Bolton (1973) - Syntype workers, ANGOLA : Benguela (C. Wellman) [examined].