Polyrhachis aruensis

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Polyrhachis aruensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Polyrhachis
Subgenus: Cyrtomyrma
Species: P. aruensis
Binomial name
Polyrhachis aruensis
Viehmeyer, 1912

Polyrhachis aruensis casent0910959 p 1 high.jpg

Polyrhachis aruensis casent0910959 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Polyrhachis aruensis.

Identification

Polyrhachis aruensis differs from Polyrhachis laevissima in having the mesosomal dorsum evenly convex in profile. The petiolar spines are very distinct, slender and acute and the subpetiolar process bluntly angular posteriorly. In contrast the profile of the mesosomal dorsum in Polyrhachis laevissima features a rather convex pronotum, with the mesonotum, propodeum and declivity descending posteriorly in a very weakly bowed line. The petiolar spines are rather short and blunt and the subpetiolar process is very weakly rounded posteriorly. (Kohout 2006)

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Endemic to the Indonesian's Aru Islands.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
pChart

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
pChart

Abundance

Rare. Specimens collected by W. Karawajew (Wokan and Wammar Is) are the only material of the species known, apart from the syntypes. (Kohout 2006)

Biology

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Polyrhachis aruensis casent0912102 d 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis aruensis casent0912102 h 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis aruensis casent0912102 p 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis aruensis casent0912102 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Polyrhachis aruensisWorker. Specimen code casent0912102. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • aruensis. Polyrhachis laevissima var. aruensis Viehmeyer, 1912: 9 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Combination in P. (Cyrtomyrma): Emery, 1925b: 207. Raised to species: Kohout, 2006b: 122.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Unterscheidet sich von dem Typus vor allem durch die scharf zugespitzten und langgezogenen Zahne del' Schuppe (ahnlich wie bei rastellata). Beine mehr oder weniger pechbraun, abschussige Fluche des Epinotums ungefahr in der Hohe der Metathoraxstigmen jederseits mit einem sehr kleinen, stumpfen, buckelformigen Zahnrudiment , Thorakalseiten kraftiger und rauher skulpiert und darum matter. Die zahnformigen Vorderecken des Pronotums ebenso wie die Zahnrudimente des Epinotums in ihrer Grobe variabel.

L. 5-6 mm (in Anzahl in meiner Sammlung).

Type Material

Syntype workers Berlin Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität - as reported by Kohout (2006).

Type Locality Information

INDONESIA, Aru Island, Wammar, Dobo, col. C. Ribbe 1883.

References

Kohout, R. J. 2006. 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.

Viehmeyer, H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königl. Zoologischen und Anthropologisch-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
  • Kohout R.J. 2006. Review of Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) Forel of Australia, Borneo, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with descriptions of new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52: 87-146.
  • Viehmeyer H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und Anthropologische-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.