Polyrhachis fervens

Distribution
This species is distributed from Sulawesi to New Guinea and northern Australia. It is known from lowland rainforests at Bamaga near the tip of Cape York Peninsula and at Iron Range, where it usually nests in the dry hollow stems of bamboo.

This taxon was described from Indonesia (Ambon Island).

Nomenclature

 *  fervens. Polyrhachis fervens Smith, F. 1860b: 101, pl. 1, fig. 26 (w.) INDONESIA (Ambon I.). Combination in P. (Dolichorhachis): Emery, 1925b: 189; in P. (Hedomyrma): Dorow, 1995: 27; Bolton, 1995b: 348. Senior synonym of indocilis, kershawi, valerus: Kohout, 1988c: 434.
 * valerus. Polyrhachis valerus Smith, F. 1861b: 40, pl. 1, fig. 10 (w.) INDONESIA (Sulawesi). Combination in P. (Hedomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 190. Junior synonym of fervens: Kohout, 1988c: 434.
 * bicolor. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) bicolor Karavaiev, 1927e: 21, fig. 11 (w.) INDONESIA (Ambon I.). [Junior primary homonym of bicolor Smith, above.] Replacement name: indocilis Santschi, 1928h: 139.
 * indocilis. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) indocilis Santschi, 1928h: 139. Replacement name for bicolor Karavaiev, 1927e: 21. [Junior primary homonym of bicolor Smith, F. 1858b: 65.] Junior synonym of fervens: Kohout, 1988c: 434.
 * kershawi. Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) kershawi Clark, 1930c: 12, fig. 1 (w.) AUSTRALIA. Junior synonym of fervens: Kohout, 1988a: 434.

Type Material


Kohout (1988) - Prof. Radchenko of the Zoological Institute, Kiev, informs me that the unique holotype of Karawajew's homonym P. bicolor cannot be found in the Karawajew collection, and is presumed lost. However, the original description and illustration are sufficient to establish its synonymy beyond reasonable doubt.

Polyrhachis fervens

Holotype worker in. Labelled “Amb.” (= Ambon I.) and with a Donisthorpe type-label.

Polyrhachis valerus

The specimen in labelled as type by Donisthorpe matches the rather poor description well, but the data label upon it reads “Men.” (= Manado, Sulawesi). The type-loclaity recorded by Smith is “Celebes, Tondano.”