Polyrhachis bispinosa

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Polyrhachis bispinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Polyrhachis
Subgenus: Campomyrma
Species complex: gravis
Species: P. bispinosa
Binomial name
Polyrhachis bispinosa
Kohout, 2013

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Specimen labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Polyrhachis bispinosa.

Identification

A member of the Polyrhachis gravis species-group. Kohout (2013) - The characteristic distinctly swollen base of the petiole makes this species easily recognisable.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

The distribution of P. bispinosa appears to be restricted to the northern parts of the Northern Territory and the Mt Isa basin in north-western Queensland.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -12.85° to -12.85°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.
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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.
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Biology

Castes

Polyrhachis bispinosa petiole.jpg
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Nomenclature

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

  • bispinosa. Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) bispinosa Kohout, 2013: 95, figs. 1A-B, E-F (w.) AUSTRALIA.

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

Description

Worker

(holotype cited first): TL c. 8.72, 7.51-8.72; HL 2.21, 1.93-2.21; HW 1.93, 1.68-1.93; 087, 86-89; 5L 2.28, 2.06-2.28; SI 118, 113-123; PW 1.62, 1.40-1.62; MTL 2.93,2.34-2.93 (4 measured).

Mandibles with 5 teeth distinctly reducing in length towards base. Anterior clypeal margin widely medially truncate with truncate portion distinctly denticulate. Clypeus with blunt, poorly defined median carina; weakly sinuate in profile with weakly impressed basal margin. Frontal carinae sinuate with weakly raised margins; central area almost flat with poorly indicated frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes rounding into mandibular bases in weakly convex line; behind eyes sides forming distinct, narrowly rounded, almost right-angled occipital corners, before converging into relatively narrow occipital margin. Eyes convex, in full face view clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal humeri distinctly angular with margins converging anteriorly towards pronotal collar; lateral margins of pronotal dorsum converging into well impressed promesonotal suture.

Dorsum of mesonotum with lateral margins strongly converging posteriorly towards distinct metanotal groove, forming almost straight line with lateral margins of propodeum and terminating in closely approximated, rather blunt, propodeal teeth; margins of teeth continued for short distance downwards into steeply concave propodeal declivity. Petiole with base distinctly swollen in lateral view; sides strongly convex towards dorsum armed with pair of closely approximated, dorsoposteriorly directed, slender spines; lateral petiolar spines reduced to mere angles. Anterior face of first gastral segment flat in lateral view, widely rounding onto dorsum; anterodorsal margin of first gastral tergite with blunt transverse carina.

Mandibles very finely striate with numerous piliferous pits. Head between frontal carinae and eyes distinctly, rather regularly, longitudinally striate; sculptural pattern distinctly less regular towards sides and on vertex where it is rugose with numerous piliferous pits. Dorsum of mesosoma generally longitudinally striate, with striae on pronotal dorsum somewhat posteriorly diverging and curving towards posterior corners of segment. Sides of mesosoma finely, more-or-less uniformly, wrinkle. Propodeal declivity and petiole finely, transverse striate. Gaster with base and sides of first tergite rather polished, intensity of sculpture increasing dorsally, becoming very finely, longitudinally striate towards posterior margin of segment; subsequent tergites finely reticulate-punctate.

Mandibles with numerous curved, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with several, anteriorly directed, unequal length golden setae medially and shorter setae fringing margin laterally. Numerous erect to semierect hairs on head, mesosoma, gaster and legs, hairs longest on clypeus and gastral venter and shortest on dorsum of mesosoma; antennae with numerous short, bristle-like semierect hairs.

Black; mandibles medium reddish-brown with teeth black. Clypeus dark reddish brown with anterior margin narrowly bordered black. Antennal scapes dark reddish-brown with funiculi a shade lighter. Legs, including middle and hind cozae distinctly orange, tarsi a shade darker.

Type Material

  • Holotype, worker, Nourlangie Rock, Kakadu NP, Northern Territory, Australia, 12°51′0″S 132°49′0″E / 12.85°S 132.816667°E / -12.85; 132.816667, 12.i.1991, A.N. Andersen, Australian National Insect Collection; open sclerophyll forest.
  • Paratype, 1 worker, Kakadu NP, Northern Territory, Australia, ii.2004, A. Fisher, PFS.
  • Paratype, 1 worker, Bradshaw Stn, Yambaron Plateau, Northern Territory, Australia, vii.1997, A.L. Hertog.
  • Paratype, 2 workers, Mt Isa, Australia, xi.1997, B. Hoffmann.
  • Paratype, 1 worker, Mt Isa Mines, Australia, xii.1997, T. Griffiths.
  • Paratype, 1 worker, Mt Isa Mines, Australia, v.2005, T. Griffiths.

Type deposition: Holotype in Australian National Insect Collection; 2 paratype workers each in Queensland Museum and Tropical Ecology Research Centre; 1 paratype worker each in The Natural History Museum and Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Etymology

Name derived from the combination of the Latin words bi -, meaning two and spina, meaning thorn, spine, with reference to the twin dorsal petiolar spines.

References

  • Kohout, R.J. 2013. 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.