Polyrhachis constructor

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Polyrhachis constructor
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Polyrhachis
Subgenus: Myrmatopa
Species group: flavicornis
Species: P. constructor
Binomial name
Polyrhachis constructor
Smith, F., 1857

Polyrhachis constructor casent0901846 p 1 high.jpg

Polyrhachis constructor casent0901846 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

In Thailand, carton nests of P. constructor were found on the underside of plant leaves or between leaves. They were located c.a. 1.59–2.80 m above ground on shrubs. The nest was around 1.74–10.53 cm long, 1.51–5.66 cm wide, and 0.22–0.95 cm deep, with only one nest entrance (Jaitrong et al., 2023).

Photo Gallery

  • Polyrhachis constructor. A–C, Non-type worker (NN220308-01); D–F, non-type alate queen (NN220308-02); A, D, body in profile view; B, E, body in dorsal view; C, F, head in full-face view. (Jaitrong et al., 2023, Fig. 1)
  • Polyrhachis constructor. A–C, Syntype of Polyrhachis constructor (alate queen ANTWEB CASENT0901846); D–F, syntype of Polyrhachis piliventris (alate queen); A, D (ANTWEB CASENT0903307), body in profile view; B, E (ANTWEB CASENT0903307), body in dorsal view; C, F, head in full-face view. (Jaitrong et al., 2023, Fig. 2)
  • Syntype of Polyrhachis elii (worker, ANTWEB CASENT0905566); A, Body in profile view; B, head in full-face view; C, body in dorsal view. (Jaitrong et al., 2023, Fig. 3)

Identification

Polyrhachis constructor is most similar to Polyrhachis longipilosa in having hairs on dorsa of head, mesosoma and gaster and on antennal scape. However, P. constructor has the shorter hairs and weaker sculpturing than in the latter (see figures 1 A–C and 6 for comparison) (Jaitrong et al., 2023).

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Polyrhachis constructor is distinctly allopatric with Polyrhachis longipilosa in distribution, occurring in Sundaland (southern Thailand and Borneo) and southernmost part of Indochina subregions (Prachuap Khirikhan Province). On the other hand, P. longipilosa is recorded from western part of Thailand (Kanchanaburi Province) (Jaitrong et al., 2023).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 13.1° to -2.183333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate
  • Source: Jaitrong et al., 2023

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo (type locality), Indonesia (type locality), Malaysia, Singapore (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

Images from AntWeb

Polyrhachis constructor casent0901846 p 2 high.jpg
Holotype of Polyrhachis constructorQueen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0901846. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by OUM, Oxford, UK.
Polyrhachis piliventris casent0903307 p 2 high.jpgPolyrhachis piliventris casent0903307 p 3 high.jpgPolyrhachis piliventris casent0903307 h 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis piliventris casent0903307 p 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis piliventris casent0903307 d 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis piliventris casent0903307 l 1 high.jpg
Holotype of Polyrhachis piliventrisQueen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0903307. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.
Polyrhachis elii casent0905566 h 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis elii casent0905566 p 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis elii casent0905566 d 1 high.jpgPolyrhachis elii casent0905566 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Polyrhachis eliiWorker. Specimen code casent0905566. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Nomenclature

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

  • constructor. Polyrhachis constructor Smith, F. 1857a: 60 (q.) BORNEO. Combination in P. (Myrmatopa): Donisthorpe, 1932c: 445. Unplaced to subgenus: Dorow, 1995: 65, but Donisthorpe probably correct. [P. constructrix: Schulz, 1906: 156; unjustified emendation.]
  • elii. Polyrhachis elii Emery, 1900d: 711 (w.) INDONESIA (Mentawei I.).
    • Combination in P. (Myrmatopa): Emery, 1925b: 180.
    • Junior synonym of constructor: Jaitrong et al., 2023: 448.
  • piliventris. Polyrhachis piliventris Smith, F. 1858b: 60, pl. 4, fig. 24 (q.) SINGAPORE.
    • Combination in P. (Myrmatopa): Dorow, 1995: 44; Bolton, 1995b: 354.
    • Junior synonym of constructor: Jaitrong et al., 2023: 448.

Type Material

Type material examined by Jaitrong et al. (2023):

  • The syntype alate queen of Polyrhachis constructor from East Malaysia, Borneo, Sarawak (A.R. Wallace), deposited in OXUM.
  • Two syntype workers of Polyrhachis elii from Indonesia, Mentawai Island, Sipora, Sereinu, V–VI.1894 (E. Modigliani), deposited in MCSN.
  • The syntype alate queen of Polyrhachis piliventris from Singapore (A.R. Wallace), deposited in BMNH.

The following notes on F. Smith type specimens have been provided by Barry Bolton (details):

Holotype alate queen in Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Labelled “SAR.” (= Sarawak) and with a Donisthorpe type-label.

Taxonomic Notes

The syntype alate queen of P. constructor is quite similar to the syntype alate queen of P. piliventris. Only minor differential characteristics or just variation have been seen: 1) head is slightly longer (CI 73 in P. constructor; CI 85 in P. piliventris); 2) posterior margin of head stronger convex than in P. piliventris; 3) anterior margin of mesoscutum weaker convex than in P. piliventris. The syntype workers of P. elii are most similar to workers of P. constructor in most aspects but the body size is slightly larger and slightly denser hairs. However, we did not find any major characteristics to distinguish P. constructor (Figs. 1 A–C, 2 A–C) from the syntypes of P. piliventris (Fig. 2 D–F) and P. elii (Fig. 3 A–C). Thus, we here synonymize P. piliventris and P. elii with P. constructor.

Description

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
  • Emery, C. "Formiche raccolte da Elio Modigliani in Sumatra, Engano e Mentawei." Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria (Genova) (2) 20, no. 40 (1900): 661-722.
  • Kohout R.J., and M. Mohamed. 2008. A preliminary list of the Polyrhachis ants of the Maliau Basin Conservation area in Sabah, Borneo (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Asian Myrmecology 2: 63-70.
  • 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
  • Robson Simon Database Polyrhachis -05 Sept 2014