Polyrhachis punjabi

The type material was collected from a mango tree (Mangifera indica).

Identification
Bharti (2003) - Easily separated from related Polyrhachis thompsoni by the following combination of characters: clypeus raised and emarginate in middle (clypeus with anterior margin advanced in P. thompsoni); frontal carinae diverging posteriorly (as broad posteriorly as in front in P. thompsoni); thorax almost flat in profile (thorax strongly arched in P. thompsoni); pronotal spines elevated above pronotal upper margin (below upper margin in P. thompsoni); legs with spines and erect hair (legs without these in P. thompsoni); petiole convex posteriorly, flat anteriorly (binconvex in P. thompsoni); upper margin of petiole with two short teeth (upper margin with three wry short obtuse teeth in P. thompsoni).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India.

Nomenclature

 *  punjabi. Polyrhachis punjabi Bharti, 2003b: 1, figs. 1-4 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
(holotype) Total length 6.33 mm, head length 1.48 mm, eye diameter 0.30 mm, head width 1.35 mm, cephalic index 86.5, scape length 1.90 mm, scape index 141.0, pronotal width 0.99 mm, alitrunk length 1.90 mm.

Head. Slightly longer than broad, narrowing anteriorly; scape crosses top of head by half of the length; eyes placed more towards front, above mid-line of head; frontal carinae strong, diverging posteriorly, crossing mid-line of eyes; median carina in frontal ridges, extending along entire length; clypeus with strong median carina, vertically placed; anterior margin of clypeus raised, emarginated, fringed with setae, lateral margins with pits; whole surface of head rugulose with broad, shallow punctures; clypeus with fine dense sculpture; mandibles punctate; pilosity wanting except few erect setae on vertex and frons, mandibles covered with setae; pubescence absent.

Alitrunk, petiole. Alitrunk almost flat from dorsum; pronotum broader than long (3:2), with two short thick spines on anterior part, slightly elevated above upper margin of pronotum; promesonotal suture well impressed; mesonotum unarmed; metanotal groove rather poorly defined; propodeal spines stout and long, divergent, recurving outward at apices; propodeal declivity steep; petiole with anterior margin almost flat, posterior margin broadly convex; two divergent spines on petiole which bend towards gaster and touches anterior border; two short blunt teeth present in between long spines on petiole; sculpture of alitrunk and petiole like head, pilosity and pubscence absent; legs with scattered semi-erect pilosity and pubescence.

Gaster. Finely punctured; pubescence thin scattered; few erect hair on second tergite, subsequent tergites covered with dense erect setae (pilosity). Black more or less shining; pretarsal claws reddish; pilosity on head and gaster pale, on legs pale reddish.

Variability. Workers (paratypes) differ only in biometrics: total length 6.32-6.43 mm; head length 1.48-1.56 mm; eye diameter 0.30 mm; head width 1.35-1.38 mm; cephalic index 86.50-91.39; scape length 1.90-1.98 mm; scape index 141.0-146.7; pronotal width 0.99 mm; alitrunk length 1.89-1.98 mm (all specimens measured).

Type Material
Holotype, worker: India, Punjab, Malakpur nr. Pathankot, 400 m, 5.vii.2000, H: Bharti leg. Paratypes, 15 workers: same data as a holotype; 2 workers: India, Himachal Pradesh, Dunera, 700 m, 7.vii.2000, H. Bharti leg.

Etymology
The species is named after the state Punjab (India) in which its type locality falls.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bharti H. 2003. Polyrhachis punjabi sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) from India. Folia Heyrovskyana 11: 1-3.