Key to Sulawesi Polyrhachis relucens-group species

This worker key is based on: Kohout, R.J. 2008a. A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi with keys and descriptions of new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 52:255-317.

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• Polyrhachis relucens species-group
• subgenus Myrma
• Polyrhachis

1

• Distinctly bicoloured with body mostly black and legs, at least in part, orange or light red . . . . . 2

• Unicoloured; black throughout with only legs sometimes dark to very dark reddish-brown . . . . . 4

2

return to couplet #1

• Petiole without spines or teeth, obtusely angular; femora, petiole and base of gaster light reddish-brown . . . . . Polyrhachis rufofemorata

• Petiole with spines, teeth or both in various configurations; legs distinctly orange or light red . . . . . 3

3

return to couplet #2

• Whole body, including appendages with abundant, short to medium length hairs and somewhat untidy, relatively long appressed pubescence; propodeal dorsum with upturned teeth; declivity oblique . . . . . Polyrhachis compressicornis

• Head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster covered with short to medium length hairs and closely appressed pubescence that is completely absent from legs; propodeal dorsum without teeth; declivity very steep, virtually vertical . . . . . Polyrhachis ithona

4

return to couplet #1

• Antennal scapes with bases distinctly broadened and strongly bent . . . . . Polyrhachis bosi

• Antennal scapes without bases broadened, straight . . . . . 5

5

return to couplet #4

• Smaller species (HL <2.00) . . . . . 6

• Larger species (HL >2.00) . . . . . 9

6

return to couplet #5

• Body very finely sculptured, highly polished, jet-black; medium length hairs scattered over most surfaces; closely appressed pubescene lacking . . . . . Polyrhachis cybele

• Body reticulate-punctate, opaque below abundant, closely appressed pubescence . . . . . 7

7

return to couplet #6

• Dorsum of mesosoma with mesonotum and propodeum virtually flat in lateral view; propodeal declivity concave; petiolar spines very short; golden appressed pubescence present over most body surfaces . . . . . Polyrhachis brachyspina

• Dorsum of mesosoma evenly convex in lateral view; propodeal declivity oblique; appressed pubescence white or silvery . . . . . 8

8

return to couplet #7

• Petiole rather robust, distinctly biconvex in profile, dorsum with very prominent lateral teeth and short, weakly dorsoposteriorly elevated spines; eyes weakly truncate posteriorly; relatively short hairs over most body surfaces, including legs . . . . . Polyrhachis numeria

• Petiole very slender with only obtusely angular, not prominent, lateral teeth and strongly dorsally elevated spines; eyes not truncate; only a few hairs arising from front of head and gastral apex, hairs completely absent from mesosomal dorsum . . . . . Polyrhachis festina

9

return to couplet #5

• Propodeal teeth very prominent, dorsally flattened and curved upwards and outwards . . . . . Polyrhachis hastata

• Propodeal teeth not prominent, short or rudimentary . . . . . 10

10

return to couplet #9

• Dorsum of head and mesosoma rather regularly, more-or-less longitudinally striate . . . . . 11

• Dorsum of head and mesosoma more-or-less uniformly reticulate-punctate without evident longitudinal pattern . . . . . 16

11

return to couplet #10

• Gaster distinctly, finely, longitudinally striate . . . . . 12

• Gaster finely reticulate-punctate . . . . . 14

12

return to couplet #11

• Dorsum of petiole straight with rather distinct intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis striatorugosa

• Dorsum of petiole ‘U’-shaped without intercallary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis sculpturata

13

• Body, including appendages with abundant, medium to long erect hairs . . . . . 15

• Body virtually without hairs, except for a few erect hairs on front of head and around gastral apex . . . . . Polyrhachis isacantha

14

return to couplet #11

• Gaster reticulate-punctate, opaque; dorsum of petiole with short intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis rixosa

• Gaster very finely shagreened, highly polished (in some specimens dorsum of first gastral segment at summit with indication of very fine longitudinal striae); intercalary petiolar tooth acute and rather prominent . . . . . Polyrhachis nigropilosa

15

return to couplet #13

• Body with distinct, pale or rich golden, closely appressed, abundant pubescence over most dorsal surfaces . . . . . 17

• Body with very diluted, white or greyish, appressed pubescence, virtually absent from most dorsal surfaces . . . . . 18

16

return to couplet #10

• Dorsal petiolar spines shorter than distance between their bases; dorsum of petiole with distinct acute intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis decipiens

• Dorsal petiolar spines very slender, curved and distinctly longer than distance between their bases; dorsum of petiole without intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis olena

17

return to couplet #15

• Pronotal spines virtually straight; petiole with parallel spines and rudimentary intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis brendelli

• Pronotal spines curved, bullhorn-shaped; petiole with spines diverging, dorsum without intercalary tooth . . . . . Polyrhachis browni