Polyrhachis festina

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
A member of the Polyrhachis relucens species group in the subgenus Myrma

Kohout (2008) - The holotype is the only known specimen of this species. Polyrhachis festina is somewhat similar to Polyrhachis foreli, a species known from Queensland and Papua New Guinea. However, in addition to being distinctly smaller (HL 1.84 in P. festina versus 2.21-2.46 in P. foreli), P. festina lacks a blunt, postocular carina, that in P. foreli runs from posterior margin of each eye towards the occipital corner. The dorsal margin of the petiole between the lateral spines in P. festina is straight, relatively narrow and only very weakly elevated medially, while in P. foreli the dorsal margin is broad and distinctly convex. The accessory petiolar teeth, situated below the bases of the spines, are very short and acute in P. festina, while they are distinctly flattened and dorsally emarginate in P. foreli.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, Sulawesi.

Nomenclature

 *  festina. Polyrhachis festina Kohout, 2008a: 271, figs. 3C-D (w.) INDONESIA (Sulawesi).

Worker
TL c. 6.80; HL 1.84; HW 1.50; CI 81; SL 2.28; SI 152; PW 1.12; MTL 2.25.

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, entire. Clypeus with blunt longitudinal carina medially; in profile clypeus very weakly sinuate, rounding posteriorly into shallowly impressed basal margin that is laterally indicated by a thin line breaking sculpturation. Frontal triangle weakly indicated. Frontal carinae sinuate with raised, laminate margins; central area with weakly impressed frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes straight, weakly converging anteriorly and narrowly rounding into mandibular bases; behind eyes sides evenly rounding into convex occipital margin. Eyes convex, in full face view breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal dorsum rather flat between pair of long, anterolaterally and weakly downwards directed, somewhat dorso-medially flattened, acute spines; outer edges of spines acute and continuous with parallel, posteriorly rounded lateral margins of pronotum. Mesonotal dorsum at base wider than pronotal dorsum, strongly transverse, with weakly medially emarginate lateral margins. Propodeal dorsum with lateral margins converging posteriorly and terminating in weakly upturned, short, transverse ridges; propodeal dorsum in profile convex descending into shallowly concave declivity in medially uninterrupted line. Petiole biconvex in profile, armed with a pair of dorsolaterally and posteriorly directed, acute spines that are situated on dorsolateral angles of petiole and separated by a transverse, medially weakly raised, dorsal margin. Lateral margin of petiole below base of each spines with secondary, short, acute tooth. Anterior face of first gastral segment concave, with anterodorsal margin distinctly lower than height of petiole.

Mandibles rather distinctly, mostly longitudinally striate-rugose. Head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster shagreened, with sides of mesosoma more distinctly sculptured, reticulate-punctate. Tips of pronotal and petiolar spines rather smooth, polished.

Mandibular masticatory borders and outer margins apically with several, semierect, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with a few long, anteriorly directed setae medially and fringe of shorter setae laterally. Several pairs of medium length, erect, golden hairs near anterior and basal margins of clypeus, along frontal carinae and a single pair on vertex. Antennal scapes with few, short, erect hairs fringing apex. Pair of downward directed longer hairs on anterior face of fore coxae. Gaster with several medium length hairs on apical segments, with their length distinctly increasing towards gastral apex and over venter. Rather dense, appressed pubescense virtually hiding underlying sculpturation; pubescence distinctly longer and silvery, or white, on sides of mesosoma; shorter, much finer and with somewhat yellowish on dorsum.

Colour. Black throughout.

Type Material
HOLOTYPE: SULAWESI SELATAN, Sampulage nr. Mangktana, 02°16’S, 120°47’E, 1200m, 19.x.1999, K. Ogata & K. Masaoka #67 (worker). Unique holotype in (QMT144146).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Kohout, R. J. 2008. A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi with keys and descriptions of new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52:255-317.