Kohout, Rudolf J.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Rudolf J. Kohout was born in Checheslovakia where he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts. After emigrating to Australia, he worked for many years at the CSIRO where he was a specialist on scientific illustrations of ants.

He soon developed into a taxonomic expert on the species rich ant genus Polyrhachis commonly known as spiny ants. Rudy continued working on spiny ants even after his retirement when he became an honorary research fellow of the Queensland Museum in Brisbane. Altogether he worked more than two and a half decades on Polyrhachis. During this period, he published more than 40 publications on these ants. Rudy is well known among ant researcher for his thorough revisions where he altogether described more than 250 Polyrhachis species new to science. His work is crucial for the modern understanding of this important and diverse ant genus of the old world tropics. Beside being a prolific taxonomist, Rudy was also a very keen field scientist with own collecting works in many countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Brunei and many more. With the specimens collected in these countries, he built up a large collection of spiny ants, but he also kept his collection growing by exchanging samples with other ant researchers. On the other side, he was always helpful when his colleagues needed some Polyrhachis specimens for their own studies.

Rudy loved being connected with other ant researchers. Those you meet him personally describe him as a great friend and colleague as well as an engaging companion and an endless fund of good stories. With his support to ANeT (International Network for the Study of Asian Ants), he was especially engaged in supporting the next generation of myrmecologists. Therefore, he was awarded 2007 at the 6th ANeT meeting in India with a special award for his extraordinary contribution to myrmecology in Asia. He also supported the start of Asian Myrmecology, the scientific journal of ANeT. For this reason, he published many of his high quality taxonomic publications in the very first issues of this journal which were an important cornerstone for the later success of Asian Myrmecology. He was also honored by Australian colleagues who named a new discovered spiny ant after Rudy: Polyrhachis kohouti Hoffmann 2015.

Rudy passed away after a long illness on 26th May 2016. His family, friends and colleagues still miss him, but they will always keep alive the memory of Rudy.

(Provided by AntBase.net).

ANT TAXONOMY
Rudy Kohout published numerous papers on the genus Polyrhachis.

PUBLICATIONS

 * [[Media:Dorow & Kohout 1995.pdf|Dorow, W. H. O.; Kohout, R. J. 1995. A review of the subgenus Hemioptica Roger of the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith with description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Zool. Meded. (Leiden) 69: 93-104 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Dorow 1997.pdf|Dorow, W. H. O.; Kohout, R. J.; Taylor, R. W. 1997. Polyrhachis Smith, 1857 (Insecta, Hymenoptera): proposed precedence over Myrma Billberg, 1820. Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 54: 236-241 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 1987.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 1987. Three new Polyrhachis sexspinosa-group species from the Philippines (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 25: 169-176 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 1988.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 1988a. New nomenclature of the Australian ants of the Polyrhachis gab Forel species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Aust. Entomol. Mag. 15: 49-52 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 1988b.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 1988b. A new species of Polyrhachis (Polyrhachis) from Papua New Guinea with a review of the New Guinean and Australian species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 25: 417-427 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 1988c.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 1988c. Nomenclatural changes and new Australian records in the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 25: 429-438 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 1989.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 1989. The Australian ants of the Polyrhachis relucens species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 27: 509-516 PDF]]


 * Kohout, R. J. 1990. A review of the Polyrhachis viehmeyeri species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 28: 499-508


 * [[Media:Kohout 1994a.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 1994a. New synonymy of three Australian ants (Formicidae: Formicinae: Polyrhachis). Mem. Qld. Mus. 35: 135-136 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 1994b.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 1994b. Polyrhachis lama, a new ant from the Tibetan plateau (Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 35: 137-138 PDF]]


 * Kohout, R. J. 1998. New synonyms and nomenclatural changes in the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 42: 505-531


 * [[Media:Kohout 2000.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 2000. A review of the distribution of the Polyrhachis and Echinopla ants of the Queensland wet tropics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 46: 183-209 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2006a.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2006a. A review of the Polyrhachis cryptoceroides species-group with description of a new species from Thailand. Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 145-150.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2006b.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 2006b. Review of Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) of Australia, Borneo, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with descriptions of new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 52:87-146.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2006c.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2006c. A new species of Polyrhachis (Aulacomyrma) Emery from Papua New Guinea. Australian Entomologist. 33:77-80.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2006d.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2006d. New species of the Polyrhachis (Myrma) parabiotica species group from the Philippines. Australian Entomologist 33: 155-163.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2007a.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2007a. Revision of the subgenus Aulacomyrma Emery of the genus Polyrhachis F. Smith, with descriptions of new species (pp. 186-253). In Snelling, R.R., Fisher, B.L. & Ward, P.S. (eds). Advances in ant systematics: homage to E.O. Wilson – 50 years of contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 80: 690 pp.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2007b.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2007b. Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) maryatiae, a new species of the armata-group from Borneo. Asian Myrmecology 1: 1-5.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2007c.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2007c. A review of the subgenus Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) Wheeler from Borneo with descriptions of new species. Asian Myrmecology 1: 7-17.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2007d.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2007d. A new species of the subgenus Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) Forel from Borneo. Australian Entomologist 34: 115-118.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2008a.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2008a. A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi with keys and descriptions of new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52: 255-317.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2008b.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2008b. A new Polyrhachis (Myrma) vestita-group species from Sulawesi. Zoologische Mededeelingen, Leiden. 82: 297-302.]]


 * Kohout, R.J. 2008c. Two new species of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith from Australia, based on formerly quadrinomial taxa. Australian Entomologist. 35: 161-171.


 * [[Media:Kohout-2008.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2009a. A new species of the Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) flavoflagellata-group from Borneo. Asian Myrmecology 2 (2008): 11-16.]]


 * Kohout, R.J. 2009b. A new species and nomenclatural changes in the subgenus Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) Forel. Australian Entomologist 36: 37-48.


 * [[Media:Kohout 2010.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2010. A review of the Australian Polyrhachis ants of the subgenera Myrmhopla Forel and Hirtomyrma subgen. nov. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature 55: 167-204.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2012. A review of the Australian Polyrhachis ants of the subgenera Myrma Billberg, Myrmatopa Forel, Myrmothrinax Forel and  Polyrhachis F. Smith.  Memoirs of the  Queensland Museum – Nature 56: 25-59.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2013.pdf| Kohout, R. J. 2013a. A review of the Polyrhachis xiphias species-group of the subgenus Campomyrma Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Asian Myrmecology. 5:21-27.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2013b.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 2013b. A review of the Polyrhachis gravis and micans species-groups of the subgenus Campomyrma Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature. 56:92-117. PDF ]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2013c.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 2013c. Revision of Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) Wheeler, 1911 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature 56:487-577. PDF ]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2013 aculeata group.pdf|Kohout, R. J. 2013d. A review of the Polyrhachis aculeata species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae), with keys and descriptions of new species. Australian Entomologist 40(3):137-171. PDF ]]


 * [[Media:Kohout 2013 continua group.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2013e. A review of the Polyrhachis continua species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) with keys and descriptions of new species. Australian Entomologist 40(1), 13-46.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout, R.J. 2013. Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) nepenthicola.pdf|Kohout, R.J. 2013f. Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) nepenthicola, a new species of the thrinax-group inhabiting pitcher plants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Australian Entomologist 40, 47-52.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout, R.J. 2014. A review of the subgenus Polyrhachis (Polyrhachis).pdf|Kohout, R. J. 2014. A review of the subgenus Polyrhachis (Polyrhachis) Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) with keys and description of a new species. Asian Myrmecology 6:1-31.]]


 * [[Media:Kohout & Taylor 1990.pdf|Kohout, R. J.; Taylor, R. W. 1990. Notes on Australian ants of the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, with a synonymic list of the species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Mem. Qld. Mus. 28: 509-522 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Maschwitz U Buschinger A Dorow W Go C Kohout R 2003.pdf|Maschwitz, U.; Go, C.; Dorow, W. H. O.; Buschinger, A.; Kohout, R. J. 2003. Polyrhachis loweryi (Formicinae): a guest ant parasitizing Rhytidoponera sp. (Ponerinae) in Queensland, Australia. Insectes Soc. 50: 69-76 PDF]]


 * [[Media:Noon-anant et al 2009.pdf|Noon-anant, N.; Kohout, R.; Watanasit, S.; Yamane, S.; Wiwatwitaya, D. 2009. Additional records of Polyrhachis (Myrmatopa) varicolor Viehmeyer (Formicidae: Formicinae) from Southern Thailand, with notes on Its nesting habits. The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 9(2):171-188.]]


 * [[Media:Pfeiffer et al 2011.pdf|Pfeiffer, M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58.]]


 * [[Media:Robson 2007.pdf|Robson, S. K. A.; Kohout, R. J. 2007. A review of the nesting habits and socioecology of the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith. Asian Myrmecology 1:81-99. [2007-08] PDF]]


 * [[Media:Robson-kohout-2008.pdf|Robson, S. K. A.; Kohout, R. J. 2008. Nest construction in the arboreal ant Polyrhachis tubifex Karavaiev, 1926. Asian Myrmecology 2:121-123.]]


 * [[Media:Robson et al 2015.pdf|Robson, S. K. A.; Kohout, R. J.; Beckenbach, A. T.; Moreau, C. S. 2015. Evolutionary transitions of complex labile traits: silk weaving and arboreal nesting in Polyrhachis ants. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 69:449-458.]]