Polyrhachis brutella

Polyrhachis brutella inhabits open eucalypt forests, seemingly preferring rocky ground in which to build their nests. Two of the nests dug up at the type locality had their tunnels excavated along and under large boulders with the lowest chambers reaching a depth of about 50-70cm.

Identification
Polyrhachis brutella is similar to Polyrhachis brisbanensis but is generally larger (HL 2.28-2.56 in P. brutella versus HL 2.15-2.37 in P. brisbanensis), with most of the distinguishing characters given in the remarks section under the latter. Other characters specific to P. brutella include the lack of a light band at the bases of mandibular teeth, the blunt lateral angles of the anterior flange of the clypeus, the subparallel, undilated lateral margins of the pronotal dorsum, the distinctly sinuate petiolar spines with their tips bent outwards, the distinctly shorter pilosity and the very short, rather diluted body pubescence, notably on the pronotal and mesonotal dorsa. The gastral pubescence in both species is pale gold or silvery, with an almost identical median patch on first gastral tergite.

The distribution of P. brutella extends from Eungella National Park south to Rockhampton and as far west as Canarvon National Park, with an apparently isolated population at Turtle Rock in the Hervey Range near Townsville. Specimens from the latter population closely resemble those from Mt Archer, except in having marginally shorter antennal scapes (SI 156-164 in specimens from Turtle Rock versus 167-181 in other specimens) and a wider petiolar dorsum with divergent petiolar spines that have their base more widely separated.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  brutella. Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) brutella Kohout, 2013: 509, figs. 2C-D (w.q.) AUSTRALIA.

Type Material


The Turtle Rock population of P. brutella was listed earlier as ‘Hagio 16’ by Kohout, 2000: 200).