Polyrhachis dougcooki

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

Kohout 2013c-31Polyrhachis-dougcooki hal.jpg

Nothing is known about the biology of Polyrhachis dougcooki.

Identification

A member of the ammon species-group in the Polyrhachis subgenus Hagiomyrma. Kohout (2013) - Polyrhachis dougcooki closely resembles Polyrhachis ammon but differs by its distinctly longer antennal scapes (SI 168-173 in P. dougcooki versus 145-155 in P. ammon) and relatively small, virtually quadrate pronotal dorsum. The pilosity in P. dougcooki is distinctly longer and the somewhat brassy golden pubescence is denser and covers the whole body, including the head. In contrast the pilosity in P. ammon is distinctly shorter and the more appressed golden pubescence is virtually absent from the head.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.8° to -16.8°.

 
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

Male and immature stages unknown.

Nomenclature

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

  • dougcooki. Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) dougcooki Kohout, 2013: 518, figs. 3E-F (w.q.) 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. 10.03, 9.37-10.23; HL 2.31, 2.21- 2.40; HW 1.81, 1.72-1.86; CI 78, 76-78; SL 3.07, 2.95-3.12; SI 170, 168-173; PW 1.53, 1.47-1.59; MW 1.03, 1.03-1.15; PMI 148, 135-150; MTL 3.73, 3.53-3.78 (8 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin with denticulate median flange, laterally flanked by acute teeth. Clypeus with median carina, sinuate in profile, posteriorly rounding into moderately impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle distinct. Frontal carinae sinuate with moderately raised margins. Sides of head in front of eyes converging towards mandibular bases in straight line; behind eyes, sides widely rounding into occipital margin. Eyes moderately convex, in full face view marginally exceding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal dorsum quadrate; pronotal humeri rounded, lateral margins weakly emarginate behind humeri and subparallel towards well impressed promesonotal suture. Mesonotal dorsum with lateral margins converging posteriorly; metanotal groove indistinct. Propodeal margins terminating in rather strong, subparallel spines, with bases weakly elevated and sinuate towards tips in side view. Petiole armed with pair of horizontal, weakly divergent spines. Anterior face of first gastral tergite higher than full height of petiole, widely rounding onto dorsum.

Mandibles finely and densely striate-rugose with numerous piliferous pits. Head and mesosoma reticulate-punctate, sculpturation almost completely hidden by overlying pubescence. Spines rugose with tips rather smooth and polished. Gaster finely shagreened.

Mandibular masticatory borders with numerous, medium length golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin medially with several longer setae and fringe of shorter setae laterally. Numerous medium length hairs on clypeus, along frontal carinae and vertex, but no hairs breaking lateral cephalic outline. Somewhat longer, more abundant, variously curved hairs on dorsum of mesosoma, petiole and spines, excluding extreme tips. Gaster with abundant, erect or posteriorly inclined, golden hairs, longest hairs reaching greatest diameter of eyes in length. Relatively long, closely appressed, golden pubescence with somewhat reddish hue, over most dorsal body surfaces; pubescence more abundant and distinctly medially radiating on mesosomal dorsum, silvery on sides. Gastral pubescence somewhat longer and more abundant dorsally where it completely hides underlying sculpturation; pubescence silvery on gastral venter and sides, rich golden with distinct reddish hue on dorsum.

Black throughout.

Queen

Dimensions: TL c. 10.68; HL 2.23; HW 1.78; CI 76; SL 2.93; SI 165; PW 2.34; MTL 3.68 (1 measured).

Apart from sexual characters, very similar to worker except: mesoscutum only marginally wider than long with anterior margins widely rounded; medial line bifurcate dorsally; dorsum relatively low and virtually flat in lateral view with parapsides only weakly raised posteriorly. Mesoscutellum not elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma. Spines similar to those in worker, but marginally shorter. Sculpturation, pilosity, pubescence and colour virtually identical to worker, except mandibles in single available queen dark reddish-brown.

Type Material

Etymology

Named in honour of the collector, Doug Cook, a long time associate of the Queensland Museum, who collected many species of Polyrhachis and other insects on numerous collecting trips to remote localities in Queensland.

Determination Clarifications

Polyrhachis dougcooki was listed earlier by Kohout (2000: 200) as ‘Hagio 20’.

References