THE AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGIST

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Cover: Our cover illustration for 2013 shows a species of the pebble-mimicking

genus Raniliella (Orthoptera: Acrididae). There are two species in the genus, both

restricted to desert environments of the northern parts of South Australia. They are

commonly seen in stony areas around the Flinders Ranges. Raniliella is one of

several genera of Australian grasshoppers which closely resemble the stones of our

extensive gibber deserts. The illustration is reproduced by permission from CSIRO’s

Insects of Australia and is by the late Frank Nanninga, a Dutch-born artist who was

the leading insect illustrator of the 1960s in Australia. His work reached its peak in

the eight magnificent colour plates which grace the pages of Insects of Australia.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1): 1-6 1

NOTES ON THE ECOLOGY, PHENOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION

OF POLLANISUS CYANOTUS (MEYRICK, 1886) (LEPIDOPTERA:

ZYGAENIDAE: PROCRIDINAE: ARTONINI)

MIKE HALSEY

Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, La Trobe University, Wodonga, Vic 3690

(Email: m.halsey@latrobe.edu.au)

Abstract

New information is presented on the ecology and phenology of the zygaenid moth Pollanisus

cyanotus (Meyrick, 1886). The known distribution of the species is extended to a site in the

Baranduda ranges of northeastern Victoria. The previously unknown larva is described, with

Hibbertia obtusifolia DC (Dilleniaceae) and Hibbertia riparia (R.Br. ex DC.) Hoogland

(Dilleniaceae) recorded as larval food plants. A dipteran parasitoid is also noted. Observations

are made in relation to adult behaviour and morphology.

Introduction

A population of, panisk cyanotus*(Meyrick, 1886) was recently

discovered by thé author in northeastern Victoria. Initially, a series of adults

was found (Décember 2010), followed by mature larvae on Hibbertia

obtusifolia DC (Dillerüiacede) , in February | 2011. The site is at 380 m

elevation, thinly forested with red stringybark// (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha

(F. Muell. ex D and a rocky understoréy of mixed shrubs. Subsequently,

and third instar larvae were Yoon followed in late October by larvae

approaching maturity. While Pollanisus Walker spp. are notoriously difficult

to identify, P. cyanotus is the only known Australian species in the genus in

which the female abdominal tuft is grey; in all.other known Australian

species the tuft is yellow. Its identity was further confirmed by dissection of

both male and female genitalia and comparison with the images and

descriptions in Tarmann (2004). In the female, the ‘tentacles’ described by

Tarmann are very evident.

Pollanisus cyanotus is known primarily from locations in southern New

South Wales, mainly from sites in the Sydney-Wollongong area, often coastal

but also up to about 50 km inland. There are two records from southern

Queensland, also from coastal regions. The only truly inland record is a

specimen from ‘Innaminna’, which is assumed to be from a property of that

name some 100 km NW of Dubbo, NSW. Until recently, P. cyanotus was

known in Victoria only from two specimens, collected near Cann River and

Hazelwood respectively. (All preceding distribution records are derived from

Tarmann 2004). Recently, A. Kallies (pers. comm.) discovered a population

of P. cyanotus near Malacoota, East Gippsland, where it was found in a

coastal heath swamp. Here the population was associated with a small species

of an unidentified Hibbertia; however, no direct proof was obtained that this

was indeed the host plant. The current observations from NE Victoria

2 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

represent a significant extension of the range of P. cyanotus in Victoria and

the first host plant record. They also show a much wider habitat preference

for this species than anticipated.

Methods

Observations of adults and larvae were made on private property

approximately 5 km north of Yackandandah, Victoria (36?17.058S,

14°652.553E). Larvae were preserved first in KAA — Kerosene, Ethyl alcohol

and glacial Acetic acid, then in 70% ethyl alcohol, following the method

described by Tarmann (2004). A female, reared from larvae collected in

February, emerged in March and was paired by assembling at the site; larvae

from eggs she laid were reared in captivity. Genitalia dissection was as per

Common (1990). Larval collection was most easily carried out by placing a

net or sheet underneath the larval food plant which was then shaken.

Material examined

All from Baranduda ranges, north of Yackandandah, NE Victoria: immature

and mature larvae (more than 50 found, 10 preserved) and adults

(approximately 20 male and 3 female wild-caught specimens, approximately

10 of each gender retained from reared specimens); eggs obtained from a

bred female; cocoons from larvae found in February 2011 and captive reared;

microscope slides of male and female genitalia. All material is in the

collection of the author.

Larval description

Mature larva: Length 10-10.5 mm. Verrucae (V) on all segments in three

bands: Dorsal (D), Sub-Dorsal (SD) and Lateral (L). DV ringed with dark

brown or black, SDV sometimes fully ringed, sometimes only partially

ringed ventrally with dark brown; line between DV and SDV white, line

ventrad of SDV white or light brown, dorsal area between two rows of DV

white with interrupted dark brown mid-dorsal line on A1-8 and thoracic

segment 3 but absent on thoracic segments 1 and 2, giving the appearance of

the thorax bearing a pronounced white patch; LV ringed with dark purple-

brown; venter translucent white; A9 on line between DV and SDV carries a

small white protuberance, function unknown but similar in appearance to the

white silk bead attaching to the cocoon. Figs 2-3 show two larval colour

forms. The appearance of the white thorax is recognizable in all stages of

larval development (Fig. 1 shows a second instar larva).

Adult morphology

The wings of freshly emerged adults are dusted with white scales. These

markings are asymmetrical and the positioning of the white scales differed

between each of the adults examined. The hind wing of the freshly emerged

adult is sometimes green tinged, but this was not noticed in any wild caught

specimens, which instead had a transparent, thinly scaled appearance. A pair

of adults mating, resting on H. riparia, is shown in Fig. 7.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Figs 1-7. Pollanisus cyanotus and its parasitoid. (1) second instar larva of P. cyanotus

showing the white thoracic colouration; (2-3) two colour forms of mature larvae of P.

cyanotus; (4) cocoon of P. cyanotus with pupal exuviae, illustrating the partial

darkening of the silk bead; (5) larva of P. cyanotus in early stage of cocoon

construction showing bead placement; (6) tachinid fly parasitoid of P. cyanotus; (7)

pair of P. cyanotus mating, at rest on H. riparia.

4 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Phenology and ecology

In situ observations. Adults were initially seen on 12 December 2010,

followed by the discovery of mature larvae on H. obtusifolia on 29 January,

then on 3, 5 and 9 February 2011. The species is bivoltine at this location,

with adults on the wing in late spring to early summer and again in March

(the latest observed being 2 April). An adult male was observed feeding at

flowers of Monotoca scoparia (Sm.) R.Br. (Ericaceae) (prickly broom-heath)

on 2 April 2011. Second instar larvae were found on four occasions in May

2011 on H. riparia brought in to feed captive larvae. Second and third instar

larvae were found in late August and early September 2011 on H. riparia; of

three larvae found on 7 September 2011, two were 3 mm in length and one

was just under 2 mm. All three were found on the underside of sepals. On 3

November 2011, mature larvae were commonly found on H. riparia. Adults

were then seen on 28 and 29 November and in early December 2011. The

complete annual lifecycle at this site is described in the following timeline,

where A = adult, O = ova, L = larva, P = pupa; red text represents in situ

observations and black text represents deductions:

O/L L/P P/A/OI. A/O/L L L L L L L/P P/A A/O

————————————M————ÉÉÉÉÉ IL

Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

—————————————ÉÉÉÉÉE-

Larvae located by searching were most easily found at dusk or soon after

dark. However, they could also be found during the day on the underside of

leaves and on the upperside where the plant was in a shaded or semi-shaded

position. When moved into full sunlight for photography, they quickly

retreated to the underside of the leaf. Feeding on H. obtusifolia, larvae grazed

the top surface of the leaf, leaving the under surface of the leaf almost fully

transparent. During late February, after mature larvae reared in captivity had

all pupated, individual plants of H. obtusifolia on which many wild larvae

had been observed were thoroughly searched, together with surrounds, to a

radius of approximately 1 m; however, no cocoons could be found. From

larvae found in February 2011, the mean time between commencement of

cocoon construction to emergence of the adult was 18 days.

Captive rearing. In captivity, a fertile female provided with H. obtusifolia

laid eggs on the underside of the leaf. As with other species of Pollanisus, the

eggs were covered with the female’s abdominal setae (pers. obs. — P.

viridipulverulenta, P. cupreus, P. apicalis; Tarmann 2004). Larvae reared

from the egg were at all times offered both species of Hibbertia present at the

site and selected exclusively H. riparia. Eggs laid on 6 March hatched on 13

March and larvae matured quickly in captivity, with pupation commencing

between 27 May and 19 June — a total development time of 75-97 days. In

captivity, the mature larvae prior to pupation spent more than 24 hours

wandering around the breeding container prior to locating a suitable pupation

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) : 5

site, which was generally in a crevice on the under surface of the lid of the

container. It appears likely, from the combined observations both in the wild

and in captivity, that mature larvae move some distance from the food plant

prior to forming a cocoon. Adults emerged from late June to late July.

Cocoon construction. The cocoon of P. cyanotus is white and carries at least

one small bead of tightly woven silk on the outer case (Fig. 4). Similar

structures have been observed on the cocoons of other Pollanisus species

(Mollet and Tarmann 2010). However, this does not seem to be present in P.

viridipulverulenta Guérin-Méneville, 1839 (pers. obs.). In some cases there

was one main bead and several smaller silken nodules. When freshly spun,

the entire bead is white; after a short period a portion of the bead assumes a

dark brown or black colour. The function of the bead is not known.

Cocoon construction itself commences with the larva laying down a simple

structure comprising very few single strands, then producing the silk bead

and placing this on what will become the outside of the cocoon before finally

completing the structure, thereby leaving the ball of silk on the outside of the

cocoon (Fig. 5).

Adult behaviour. In March 2011, adult behaviour was closely observed and

males were seen to fly freely in semi-shaded areas among the two larval food

plants on site, H. obtusifolia and H. riparia, with the latter plant significantly

preferred. Flight time was between early and late afternoon (ca 1800h). A

female collected on 12 December 2010 was the only one observed in the

2010-2011 flight seasons. This was despite the fact that the species was

known to be present at the site and the frequent visits made in March 2011.

In the following Spring-Summer season, 2 females were taken feeding at

Bursaria spinosa (Cav.) on 29 December 2011, at the end of the first 2011-

2012 adult brood. On 14 March 2012, visiting the site with A. Kallies, six

females and eight males were taken in the late morning. Flight was generally

close to the ground and males were rarely seen individually; 3 to 6 specimens

were often seen flying in close proximity, exhibiting what appeared to be

assembling behaviour (although no females could be located at the time).

On 5 March 2011, a freshly emerged female bred from a larva found in

February was taken to the site around 1600h and used to attract males. This

proved very effective, with more than 40 males coming to the female in the

period between 1600h and 1700h at five different sites some 20 m apart.

Parasitoids. Of 14 larvae found in January and February 2011, two were

parasitized by a tachinid fly (Diptera: Tachinidae) (Fig. 6), with a single adult

tachinid emerging from each of the pupae. From pupae reared from eggs laid

in captivity and reared on H. riparia, two further examples of the same

parasitoid species emerged in early August 2011. It is likely that infection

occurs by micro-oviparity, where eggs of the tachinid are deposited on the

leaves of the food plant and subsequently ingested by the host.

6 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

It has not been possible to identify the tachinid to species or genus level;

however it is likely to be a genus near Austronilea Crosskey in the tribe

Eryciini (B. Cantrell pers. comm.).

Acknowledgements

I am most grateful to Bryan Cantrell (Queensland Museum, Brisbane) for

examining the tachinid flies and providing information in relation to their

likely tribe and genus. Also to Prof Dr Gerhard M. Tarmann for his review of

and comments on a draft of this manuscript.

References

COMMON, I.F.B. 1990. Moths of Australia. Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Melbourne.

MOLLETT, B. and TARMANN, G.M. 2010. Notes on the ecology, phenology, and distribution

of Pollanisus eumetopus Turner (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae, Procridinae, Artonini). Australian

Entomologist 37(2): 63-67.

TARMANN, G.M. 2004. Zygaenid moths of Australia: A revision of Australian Zygaenidae

(Procridinae: Artonini). CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood; 248 pp, 64 pls, 448 figs.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1): 7-12

SOME NEW AND INTERESTING BUTTERFLY (LEPIDOPTERA)

DISTRIBUTION AND TEMPORAL RECORDS FROM

QUEENSLAND AND NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

C.E. MEYER!, R.P. WEIR? and S.S. BROWN?

129 Silky Oak Avenue, Moggill, Qld 4070

?] Longwood Avenue, Leanyer, NT 0812

?19 Kimberley Drive, Bowral, NSW 2576

Abstract

Taractrocera anisomorpha (Lower, 1911), Papilio fuscus canopus Westwood, 1842 and

Hypolimnas missipus (Linnaeus, 1764) are newly recorded from the Kimberley region, northern

Western Australia; Danaus genutia alexis (Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914) is newly recorded from

Darwin, Northern Territory; Catopsila pyranthe crokera (W.S. Macleay, 1826) and Hypolimnas

alimena lamina (Linnaeus, 1758) are newly recorded from Cape York Peninsula, Queensland;

Parnara bada sida (Waterhouse, 1934) and Pelopidas agna dingo (Moore, 1866) are newly

recorded from Blackdown Tableland, central-eastern Queensland. Nine new temporal records

filling gaps in the current adult butterfly phenology from Australia are also provided for

Rachelia extrusa (C. & R. Felder, 1867), Papilio aegeus aegeus Donovan, 1805, Elodina parthia

(Hewitson, 1853), Leptosia nina (Fabricius, 1793), Libythea geoffroy genia Waterhouse, 1938,

Danaus genutia alexis (Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914), Nesolycaena caesia d' Apice & Miller, 1992,

Jamides amarauge Druce, 1891 and Pithecops dionisius dionisius (Boisduval, 1832).

Introduction

Since 1996, the authors have undertaken numerous field trips across northern

Australia, from the Kimberley region of northern WA to Cape York

Peninsula, Qld (including the islands of the Torres Strait) and the Blackdown

Tableland of central-eastern Qld. The data presented below are based on

detailed observations made during these field trips and compared with the

locality distribution and temporal records principally contained in Braby

(2000) and papers by subsequent authors. These data are aimed at filling

current gaps in published butterfly spatial distribution and temporal records.

Eight new significant spatial distribution records are presented in Table 1 for

Taractrocera anisomorpha (Lower, 1911), Papilio fuscus canopus

Westwood, 1842 and Hypolimnas missipus (Linnaeus, 1764) from the

Kimberly region, northern WA; Danaus genutia alexis (Waterhouse & Lyell,

1914) from Darwin, NT; Catopsila pyranthe crokera (W.S. Macleay, 1826)

and Hypolimnas alimena lamina (Linnaeus, 1758) from Cape York

Peninsula, Qld; Parnara bada sida (Waterhouse, 1934) and Pelopidas agna

dingo (Moore, 1866) from Blackdown Tableland in central-eastern Qld.

Nine new temporal records that fill gaps in current adult butterfly phenology

data in Australia are presented in Table 2 for Rachelia extrusa (C. & R.

Felder, 1867), Papilio aegeus aegeus Donovan, 1805, Elodina parthia

(Hewitson, 1853), Leptosia nina (Fabricius, 1793), Libythea geoffroy genia

Waterhouse, 1938, Danaus genutia alexis (Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914),

Nesolycaena caesia d' Apice & Miller, 1992, Jamides amarauge Druce, 1891

and Pithecops dionisius dionisius (Boisduval, 1832).

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Table 1. New butterfly distribution records from northern Western Australia (WA),

the Northern Territory (NT) and northern and central-eastern Queensland (Qld).

Family / Species

HESPERIIDAE

Taractrocera anisomorpha

(Lower, 1911)

Parnara bada sida

(Waterhouse, 1934)

Pelopidas agna dingo

(Moore, 1866)

PAPILIONIDAE

Papilio fuscus canopus

Westwood, 1842

Comments

Not previously recorded north of the Gibb River

Road, Kimberley region, northern WA. Williams et

al. (2006) recorded it from the Great Northern

Highway, 115 km south-east of Derby (17°50’S,

124°32’E), the Junction of the Great Northern

Highway and Gibb River Road (15°50’S, 128°18’E)

and eastwards to 2 km north of the Ord Dam

(16°05’S, 128°45’E), in late March to early April

2003. We collected a single female from Ooraro Hill

near Kalumburu (14?17'17.77"S, 126°40’3.42”E) on

1 April 1996. A single male was also collected

adjacent to monsoon forest (vine-thicket) on the

Mitchell ^ Plateau (Site 2: 14°37°23.4”S,

125?48'30.64"E) on 1 November 2009.

Not previously recorded from Blackdown Tableland,

in central-eastern Qld. We collected two males, one

during 19-22 September 2008 and the other on 24

September 2010, hill-topping on a ridge top north of

Horseshoe Lookout on the Blackdown Tableland,

183 km west of Rockhampton. Both were newly

emerged, suggesting that they had not travelled far

and were likely to be resident in the area.

Not previously recorded from Blackdown Tableland,

in central-eastern Qld. We collected a single female

feeding at Leptospermum sp. blossom on 29

September 2012 along the track to Two Mile Falls

south of Horseshoe Lookout, Blackdown Tableland.

Not previously recorded from Kalumburu or the

Mitchell Plateau, Kimberley region, northern WA.

Grund and Hunt (2001) noted that the butterfly had

been observed sporadically in the Kimberley by

Grund during a previous trip in 1997, yet no mention

of it was made in Grund (1998). Williams et al.

(2006) recorded a specimen from Rocky Cove,

Vansittart Bay (14°13’S, 126°52’E) collected in

March 2004. We commonly encountered both sexes

at Kalumburu and along the banks of creeks crossing

the Kalumburu Road up to 15 km south of the

Kalumburu township, during our initial visit to the

area 28 March to 4 April 1996 and again during 24-

27 March 2009.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Family / Species

PIERIDAE

Catopsila pyranthe crokera

(W.S. Macleay, 1826)

NYMPHALIDAE

Danaus genutia alexis

(Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914)

Hypolimnas missipus

(Linnaeus, 1764)

Hypolimnas alimena lamina

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Comments

The butterfly was also commonly encountered in

monsoon forest areas of the Mitchell Plateau in early

November 2009.

Not previously recorded from Cape York Peninsula,

Qld. In early June 2006, the authors and Dr C.G.

Miller encountered both sexes commonly at Bamaga,

Lockerbie Scrub, Roma Flats, Pajinka and Somerset

in northern Cape York Peninsula, extending the

northern limit for the butterfly on mainland Australia

from Kuranda to the tip of Cape York Peninsula.

Not previously recorded from Darwin, NT. Braby

(2000) recorded it from the Darwin district. A single

male was collected by one of us (SSB) at East Point

coastal reserve, Darwin on 10 February 2007.

Not previously recorded from Kalumburu, Kimberley

region, northern WA. We collected a single female

flying in a grassy area adjacent to the Kalumburu

Mission on 24 March 2009.

Not previously recorded from the White Mountains,

Cape York Peninsula, Qld. Atkins et al. (2003) noted

an unconfirmed sighting of a female in one of the

gorges of White Mountains National Park. We

observed two males flying in the gorges north-east of

the Old Warang Homestead, White Mountains

National Park north-west of Torrens Creek, Qld

during our visit to the area 8-10 November 2011.

Table 2. New butterfly temporal records.

Family / Species

HESPERIIDAE

Rachelia extrusa

(C. & R. Felder, 1867)

PAPILIONIDAE

Papilio aegeus aegeus

Donovan, 1805

Comments

Not previously recorded in March or April. We

observed numerous adults flying high on the canopy

between 0700 and 0800h at the second crossing on

Gordon Creek in the Iron Range Resources Area,

Cape York Peninsula, Qld during the period 11-18

March 2011 and again in April 2012.

Not previously recorded from the White Mountains,

Cape York Peninsula, Qld in November. Atkins et al.

(2003) recorded it from there during the study period

20 March to 19 April 2000 or during one of the many

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Family / Species

PIERIDAE

Elodina parthia

(Hewitson, 1853)

Leptosia nina

(Fabricius, 1793)

NYMPHALIDAE

Libythea geoffroy genia

Waterhouse, 1938

Danaus genutia alexis

(Waterhouse & Lyell, 1914)

Comments

other visits that the authors made to the area in prior

years during the months of January to May,

September, October or December, although it is not

clear in which month(s) the butterfly was recorded.

We observed two males flying in the gorges north-

east of the Old Warang Homestead, White Mountains

National Park north-west of Torrens Creek, Qld

during our visit to the area 8-10 November 2011.

Not previously recorded from the White Mountains

in November. Atkins et al. (2003) recorded it there

from records taken by S.J. Johnson and P.S.

Valentine during visits made to the area in prior years

during the months of January to April (including the

study period) and December. We collected and

observed it flying in the gorges north-east of the Old

Warang Homestead, White Mountains National Park

during our visit to the area 8-10 November 2011.

Not previously recorded in July or November. On 1

November 2009, we collected five males from

monsoon forest on the Mitchell Plateau, Kimberley

region, northern WA (Site 2: 14937'23.4"S,

125?48'30.64"E). Frank Pierce has photographic

records of the butterfly taken during bird trips to the

region in July 2007 (Site 1: 14?36'56"S,

125?47'53"E) and from the same site during another

visit in June 2010.

Not previously recorded in April. We encountered

both sexes feeding at blossom of a Fiddlewood tree

(Citharexylum sp.) growing in the Kalumburu

Mission's campground, Kimberley region, northern

WA during our initial visit to the area 28 March to 4

April 1996. Adults were also encountered very

commonly roosting in trees along the creeks crossing

the Kalumburu Road up to 15 km south of the

Kalumburu township, where the larval food plant

Celtis philippensis Blanco, 1837 (Ulmaceae) grows.

Not previously recorded in February, March or

November. A single male was collected by one of us

(SSB) at East Point coastal reserve, Darwin, NT on

10 February 2007. In November 2009, all stages of

the butterfly were observed, with adults commonly

encountered flying in areas adjacent to the bulrushes

growing around the verges of Lake Kununurra, WA.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 11

Family / Species

LYCAENIDAE

Nesolycaena caesia d' Apice

& Miller, 1992

Jamides amarauge Druce,

1891

Pithecops dionisius dionisius

(Boisduval, 1832)

Acknowledgements

Comments

In early April 1995, all stages of the butterfly were

observed and collected at Ivanhoe Crossing near

Kununurra, the original location where the life

history was discovered (Meyer 1995), indicating that

adults would also be encountered in March at this

locality.

Not previously recorded in March or November.

During our visit to the. Kalumburu area from 28

March to 4 April 1996, adults were very commonly

encountered flying on the sandstone outcrops

adjacent to Ooraro Hill near the Kalumburu township

(14°17°17.77°S, | 126°40°3.42”E). Larvae were

located on the larval food plant, later identified as

Boronia wilsonii (F.Muell. ex Benth.) Duretto

(Rutaceae) in 1996 and reared to adult. Adults were

also observed and collected during a subsequent visit

24-27 March 2009 and again on 3 November 2009.

All immature stages were located on the same food

plant in November 2009 and reared to adult.

Not previously recorded in January, March or May.

We observed and collected both sexes from Green

Hill, Thursday Island, Qld on 25 March 2000;

Murray Island, eastern Torres Strait, Qld from 27

March to 4 April 2000; and Dauan Island, northern

Torres Strait, Qld from 26 April to 2 May 2002 and

again during 7-14 January 2011.

Not previously recorded in March. We collected

seven males from three sites in the Iron Range area,

Cape York Peninsula, Qld, with Dr C.G. Miller

during our visit to the area 11-18 March 2011.

The authors would like to thank Dr Grant Miller for his company during a

number of the field trips during which the records were made, Frank Pierce

for permission to include his photographic records of Leptosia nina from the

Mitchell Plateau in this paper and the Department of Environment and

Conservation, WA for granting Scientific Permits SF006809 and SF007098

under which the 2009 field trips to the Kimberley region were conducted.

Specimens in Queensland were collected under endorsed permits provided by

the Entomological Society of Queensland.

12 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

References

ATKINS, A.F., EDWARDS, E.D., BRABY, M.F., JOHNSON, S.S. and VALENTINE, P.S.

2003. The butterflies of White Mountains National Park, northern Queensland, and adjoining

areas. Pp 7-10, in: Comben, L., Westacott, T. and Berg, K. (eds), White Mountains Scientific

Study Report. Geography Monograph Series No. 9. The Royal Geographical Society of

Queensland Inc., Brisbane; iv + 146 pp.

BRABY, M.F. 2000. Butterflies of Australia: their identification, biology and distribution.

CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne; xxvii + 976 pp.

GRUND, R. 1998. New foodplant recordings and biological observations for some Western

Australian butterflies. Victorian Entomologist 28(4): 65-68.

GRUND, R. and HUNT, L. 2001. Some butterfly observations for the Kimberley and Tanami

regions, Western Australia. Victorian Entomologist 31(2): 19-23.

MEYER, C.E. 1995. Notes on the life history of Danaus genutia alexis (Waterhouse and Lyell)

(Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Danainae). Australian Entomologist 22(4): 137-139.

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16.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1): 13-46 13

A REVIEW OF THE POLYRHACHIS CONTINUA SPECIES-GROUP

OF THE SUBGENUS MYRMA BILLBERG (HYMENOPTERA:

FORMICIDAE: FORMICINAE) WITH KEYS AND DESCRIPTIONS

OF NEW SPECIES

RUDOLF J. KOHOUT

Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Qld 4101

(Email: rudolf:kohout@qm.qld.gov.au)

Abstract

Sixteen species of the Polyrhachis continua species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg are

presently recognised, including eight previously described: Polyrhachis conops Forel, P.

continua Emery, P. inusitata Kohout, P. procera Emery, P. sericeopubescens Donishorpe, P.

simpla Santschi, P. spinifera Stitz and P. stitzi Santschi; and eight species described as new: P.

gazelle sp. n., P. manusensis sp. n., P. neuguinensis sp. n., P. planoculata sp. n, P. pulleni sp. n.,

P. robusta sp. n., P. sinuata sp. n. and P. tapini sp. n. Polyrhachis stitzi Santschi, originally

described by Karavaiev as P. conops bismarckensis, is raised to specific status and redescribed.

The former subspecies and junior primary homonym P. conops cuspidata Stitz is considered a

synonym of P. sericeopubescens Donisthorpe. A key to the species of the group is provided and

all species are illustrated.

Introduction

The Polyrhachis continua species-group is a relatively small group of closely

similar species within the subgenus Myrma Billberg. Species of the group

were traditionally placed in the P. relucens-group (Emery 1925, Kohout

1989, Dorow 1995), until the continua-group was introduced by Kohout

(1998). However, it was not until a decade later that Kohout (2008) provided

basic characters distinguishing its constituents from other species of the

subgenus as follows: ‘The continua-group is characterised by an evenly

convex mesosomal outline and the presence of postocular and lateral ridges

on the head.’ Historically, the continua-group species represent relatively

recent additions to the composition of this subgenus.

It was more than a hundred years after Fabricius (1782) described Formica

militaris, which later became the type species of the subgenus Myrma, that

the first continua-group species, P. continua from Ternate and P. continua

procera from New Guinea, were described by Emery (1887, 1897). These

were closely followed by P. conops, described by Forel (1901) from the

Bismarck Archipelago and the only species of the group described by this

prolific author. In 1911, Stitz described P. conops cuspidata and P. conops

spinifera from New Guinea; however, the former became a junior primary

homonym of P. cuspidatus, described in 1857 by Fr. Smith, while the latter

was also described by Emery (1911), as the synonym P. continua hirsutula.

The next two additions to the group, P. conops simplex from Aru Island and

P. conops bismarckensis from New Britain, were described by Karavaiev

(1927), but both these names were already in use elsewhere in the genus.

Santschi (1928), who realised Karavaiev's oversight, promptly renamed them

in the following year, as P. conops simpla and P. conops stitzi respectively.

14 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

In 1941, Donisthorpe described P. sericeopubescens from Japen Island and,

almost fifty years later, Kohout (1989) described P. inusitata, the only

Australian species of the group. The present paper describes eight new

species in the continua-group, five from the New Guinean mainland (P.

neuguinensis, P. planoculata, P. pulleni, P. robusta and P. tapini) and three

from the Bismarck Archipelago (P. gazelle, P. sinuata and P. manusensis),

bringing the number of its constituents to sixteen.

Generally, species of the continua-group are uncommonly encountered in the

field and consequently they are relatively poorly represented in most of the

collections examined. As continua-group species are lignicolous, selecting

various tree cavities or bamboo internodes as their nesting sites, they are

often overlooked, or missed by the more common mass-collecting methods

such as insecticidal fogging or pitfall traps. Also, their colonies appear to be

relatively small, mostly well under 50 individuals, which means that only a

small number of workers will be foraging at any one time. This may explain

why one of the described species is known only from the original series (P.

conops) and three of the newly described species (P. gazelle, P. planoculata

and P. sinuata) are each known only from a single specimen.

Methods

Photographs of specimens were taken with a digital camera attached to a

stereomicroscope and processed using Auto-Montage (Syncroscopy, Division

of Synoptics Ltd, USA) and Adobe Photoshop CS2 (Adobe Systems Inc.,

USA). Images of P. continua Emery, P. gazelle sp. n., P. inusitata Kohout, P.

manusensis sp. n., P. neuguinensis sp. n., P. planoculata sp. n., P. pulleni sp.

n., P. robusta sp. n., P. sinuata sp. n. and P. tapini sp. n. are of the holotypes,

while those of P. conops Forel, P. procera Emery, P. sericeopubescens

Donisthorpe, P. simpla Santschi and P. spinifera Stitz are of syntypes.

Images of P. stitzi Santschi are of the voucher specimen selected from the

additional series as discussed below under that species.

The use of the terms ‘New Guinea’, ‘Bismarck Archipelago’, ‘New Britain?

and ‘New Ireland’ alone indicate the biogeographic delimitation of these

regions regardless of their current political boundaries. New Guinean

localities at which ants were collected by the Bishop Museum’s collectors

were checked against that institution’s locality list (BPBM 1966,

unpublished). Their latitude and longitude co-ordinates and altitudes are only

approximate.

Lists of synonymies presented here are not always comprehensive; for full

synonymic citations see Dorow (1995), Bolton (1995) and Bolton et al.

(2007). Publication dates and the spelling of species’ and authors’ names

generally follow Bolton et al. (2007). The placement of Myrma Billberg,

1820 as a junior synonym of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857 follows a ruling of

the ICZN (1999), which gave nomenclatural precedence to the latter genus.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Standard measurements (in mm) and indices follow those of Kohout (2008):

TL = Total length (the necessarily composite measurement of the

outstretched length of the entire ant measured in profile); HL = Head length

(the maximum measurable length of the head in perfect full face view,

measured from the anterior-most point of the clypeal border or teeth to the

posterior-most point of the occipital margin); HW — Head width (width of the

head in perfect full face view, measured immediately in front of the eyes); CI

— Cephalic index (HW x 100/HL); SL — Scape length (length of the antennal

scape, excluding the condyle); SI = Scape index (SL x 100/HW); PW =

Pronotal width (width of the pronotal dorsum measured at the bases of the

pronotal spines, or across the humeri in species without spines); MTL =

Metathoracic tibial length (maximum measurable length of the tibia of the

hind leg). All measurements were taken using a Zeiss (Oberkochen) SR

stereomicroscope with an eyepiece graticule calibrated against a stage

micrometer.

Abbreviations of common terms: c. = circa; Distr. = District; for. = forest; Mt

= Mountain; Mts = Mountains; nr = near; Pen. = Peninsula; Pltn = Plantation;

Prov. = Province; Ra. = Range; Riv. = river; rf. = rainforest; sclero. = open

sclerophyll forest; Stn = Station; w = worker/s.

Abbreviations for institutions (with names of cooperating curators): ANIC —

Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra, Australia (Dr S.O.

Shattuck); BMNH - The Natural History Museum, London, UK (S. Ryder,

Dale-Skey Papilloud); IZAS — Institute of Zoology, Ukrainian Academy of

Sciences, Kiev, Ukraine (Dr A.G. Radchenko); MSNG - Civic Museum of

Natural History *Giacomo Doria', Genova, Italy (Dr R. Poggi); MCZC —

Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA,

USA (Dr S.P. Cover; MHNG - Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Geneva,

Switzerland (Dr B. Merz; MNHU - Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt-

Universitat, Berlin, Germany (Dr F. Koch); NMNH - National Museum of

Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA (Dr T.R.

Schultz); QMBA - Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia (Dr CJ.

Burwell).

Systematics

Genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857

Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857: 58. Type species: Formica bihamata Drury, 1773, by

original designation.

Subgenus Myrma Billberg, 1820

Myrma Billberg, 1820: 104. Type species: Formica militaris Fabricius, 1782: 493; by

subsequent designation of Wheeler, 1911: 859.

Myrma Billberg; Wheeler, 1911: 859 (as genus and senior synonym of Polyrhachis

Fr. Smith, 1857).

Myrma Billberg; Wheeler, 1922: 993 (as subgenus of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857).

(For full reference citations with synonymy see Dorow et al. 1997).

16 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Polyrhachis continua species-group

Characters of the P. continua species-group

Worker. Medium-sized to relatively large ants (HL > 2.30) with general

characteristics of the genus and subgenus. Head with sides in front of eyes

subparallel or weakly convex towards mandibular bases; sides in most

species distinctly wider behind the eyes with postocular and lateral ridges

extending on each side towards occipital corners. Eyes usually large, situated

well back, giving face a characteristic elongated appearance; in some species

eyes distinctly posteriorly protracted (e.g. P. conops Forel), or posteriorly

truncate (P. sinuata); however, in one species (P. planoculata) eyes virtually

flat, not reaching cephalic outline in full face view. Antennal scapes

relatively long (SL >180). Mesosoma in profile with evenly convex outline,

in most species without distinct border between propodeal dorsum and

declivity. Sculpture of head and mesosoma ranging from rather finely and

uniformly reticulate-punctate (as in P. inusitata Kohout and P. tapini), to

distinctly longitudinally striate (as in P. conops and P. manusensis), with

gaster finely shagreened. Appressed pubescence virtually lacking from most

parts of body in all species, except for a very fine, diluted, reddish-brown

patch on gastral dorsum. Dorsal surfaces of mesosoma and petiole almost

completely hairless (as in P. continua Emery), or with rather short, erect hairs

(as in P. spinifera Stitz or P. manusensis); head and apex of gaster in most

species with several short or medium length, erect or posteriorly inclined,

hairs. Colour of all species is virtually black throughout with somewhat

semiopaque shine; appendages black or dark reddish brown.

Queen. Apart from distinctly larger size and usual sexual characters,

including three ocelli and fully developed mesosoma with wings, very similar

to worker.

Male. Males of only a few species are known and as such, their treatment has

not been attempted here.

Within the group the species clearly polarise into two complexes, centring on

P. continua and P. conops. The continua-complex includes species with the

petiole distinctly higher than wide and armed with rather elongated dorsal

spines and usually very short or rudimentary lateral teeth (Fig. 45). The

conops-complex includes species characterised by a petiolar node that is only

marginally higher than wide and armed with short dorsal spines that are

barely longer than their basal width and well developed and acute lateral

teeth (Fig. 2) (except in P. gazelle sp. n.). The complexes are also clearly

divided geographically. The continua-complex is distributed throughout

mainland New Guinea, extending westwards to Indonesia and southwards to

Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, while distribution of species of the

conops-complex appears to be limited to the islands of the Bismarck

Archipelago.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 7

Distribution and biology. The continua-group comprises mostly Melanesian

elements with its known distribution extending from Sulawesi and the

Moluccas (Ternate I.), across New Guinea to the Bismarck Archipelago,

including New Britain, New Ireland and Manus Island, and south to Cape

York Peninsula in Queensland. However, the group is predominantly New

Guinean, where it is most diverse, both in the number of species and

morphologically. Members of the continua-group are lignicolous, using

various tree cavities, including rotten logs or hollow internodes of dry

bamboo stems for their nesting sites. Only one species (P. tapini) was

recorded nesting in soil in the ground (Taylor, specimen label data).

Key to workers of the P. continua species-group

1 Petiolar node with dorsal spines short, tooth-like, barely longer than their

basal width (Fig. 2); lateral petiolar spines distinct, acute (except in P.

gazelle sp. n.); eyes more-or-less protracted or truncate posteriorly

(Bismarck Archipelago) (conops-complex) ......................... eere 2

- Node of petiole with dorsal spines elongated (Fig. 45); lateral petiolar

spines very short or rudimentary; eyes more-or-less normal (New Guinea,

Indonesia, Australia) (continua-complex) .................. esee 6

2 Antennal scapes with numerous short hairs along leading edges ............. 3

E AntennaliscapesswItDOUU Dalrsmee 5

3 Dorsum of mesosoma and basal gastral tergite without hairs; eyes

distinctly protracted posteriorly (Figs 1, 4) (New Britain) .... conops Forel

- Dorsum of mesosoma and gaster with numerous erect hairs; eyes more-

or-less normal or posteriorly truncate

4 Petiolar node, including spines, with numerous short, erect hairs around

base and along lateral margins; dorsum of mesosoma distinctly

longitudinally striate; eyes convex, more-or-less normal (Figs 8, 12)

OCURRE ——— manusensis sp. n.

- Petiolar node without hairs; dorsum of mesosoma only finely

longitudinally striate; eyes rather flat, posteriorly truncate (Figs 9, 14)

(New Ireland) M — sinuata sp. n.

5 Petiolar node relatively wide with lateral spines well developed; eyes

distinctly protracted posteriorly (Figs 10, 15) (New Britain) ....................

syrbocoonper iron aao b On Poo do Kev ate denter stitzi Santschi

- Petiolar node relatively narrow with lateral spines reduced to blunt angles;

eyes more-or-less normal, not protracted posteriorly (Fig. 3) (New

Brita) e TET gazelle sp. n.

6 Eyes flat, in full face view not reaching lateral cephalic outline (Figs 26,

DOE EE planoculata sp. n.

- Eyes convex, in full face view clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline

(Cof Roc UT NES VES) nr prre nd rra re udo TTRY 7

—

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Antennal scapes without hairs or occasionally with only a few hairs

presentíalongileadingiedPemeee nette

Antennal scapes with numerous short to medium length hairs along

leading edge and fewer hairs along inferior edge .................................. 10

Lateral margins of mesonotal dorsum converging posteriorly; pronotal

spines relatively short, broadly based, only about 2x as long as basal

width; lateral petiolar spines reduced to small acute teeth ...............

continua Emery

Mesessssssesssssssosossosssesssosossssosossssssssosssossssssosessesssssosososecosooosoooooo

Lateral margins of mesonotal dorsum converging anteriorly or

subparallel; pronotal spines relatively long and slender, distinctly longer

than 2x basal width; lateral petiolar spines blunt or obsolete ................... 9

Dorsal petiolar spines relatively short, subparallel; lateral margins of

pronotal and mesonotal dorsa virtually flat; dorsum of gaster with only a

fewirather,shortihairsEnezoustuute te UU TED procera Emery

Dorsal petiolar spines rather long, divergent; lateral margins of pronotal

and mesonotal dorsa narrowly, but distinctly upturned; dorsum of gaster

with numerous, medium length hairs ...................... ess tapini sp. n.

Lateral petiolar spines obsolete; dorsum of mesosoma finely reticulate-

punctate (Australia, Cape York Pen.) ......................... inusitata Kohout

Lateral petiolar spines produced into small, but distinct, acute teeth;

dorsum of mesosoma more-or-less regularly, longitudinally striate (New

Guinea) MP e VEAN me DE ael PEE E Ne e EEN eee 11

Propodeal teeth upturned, acute (Figs 25, 34, 39); propodeum with more-

or-less distinct, blunt, transverse carina partly dividing dorsum from

declivity; petiolar node, including spines, with numerous short, erect hairs

around base and along lateral margins .........csssssesseesessecsesesseeseseseeseeneseees 12

Propodeal teeth virtually lacking (Figs 43, 48, 50); propodeal dorsum

descending into declivity in medially uninterrupted line; petiolar node

without hairs, except a fringe of very short hairs along base and

subpetiolaniprocesspemssstnes ee Te ibit 14

Smaller (HL < 2.60), more slender species.................. neuguinensis sp. n.

Targen (HIA-/90)8broaderspectesieeee ee TES 13

Pronotal spines long and slender, almost 3x as long as basal width;

clypeus in profile only weakly sinuate; antennal scapes generally longer

(SIS 65-100) RE EIER robusta sp. n.

Pronotal spines shorter, broadly based, only about 2x as long as basal

width; clypeus in profile distinctly sinuate; antennal scapes generally

Shorten (SIM179-1 88) Garren eee eee RR pulleni sp. n.

Lateral margins of mesonotal dorsum distinctly converging posteriorly;

pronotal dorsum with lateral margins flat ......................-- simpla Santschi

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 19

- Lateral margins of mesonotal dorsum subparallel; pronotal dorsum with

lateral margins upturned ..............eeneneenenneeennneeennnenenententnnnnnn 15

15 Larger species (HL > 2.80); pronotal dorsum markedly wide, about 1.5x

wider than long; pronotal spines with broad, more-or-less dorsally

itio DERSS errare Er oe roe spinifera Stitz

- Smaller species (HL < 2.70); pronotal dorsum narrower, only about 1.13x

wider than long; pronotal spines slender with dorso-medially flattened

bases RR sericeopubescens Donisthorpe

Polyrhachis conops-complex

Polyrhachis conops Forel, 1901

(Figs 1-2, 4-5)

Polyrhachis conops Forel, 1901: 28. Syntype workers, queens, males. Type locality:

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO [NEW BRITAIN], Herbertshóhe (F. Dahl),

MNHU, MHNG (examined).

Dimensions of syntypes (queens cited last): TL c. 9.93-11.18, 11.94-12.65;

HL 2.43-2.67, 2.72-2.82; HW 1.89-2.09, 2.17-2.22; CI 77-79, 79-80; SL

3.17-3.43, 3.48-3.53; SI 162-168, 159-160; PW 1.71-1.86, 2.52-2.57; MTL

3.33-3.58, 3.63-3.68 (5+2 measured).

Remarks. 'The syntypes of P. conops are the only specimens known of this

species. It stands between P. continua Emery and P. manusensis sp. n.,

featuring the slender and elegant stature of the former and the petiolar

armament of the latter. Several specimens of the type series show a mild

tendency of the eyes changing their shape from posteriorly protracted to

almost normal. The eyes are usually distinctly protracted posteriorly (Figs 1,

4); however, in several specimens examined this character appears to be less

prominent, with the eyes almost normal. This character is not uncommon in

the subgenus Myrma, with several taxa described solely on the presence or

lack of the posteriorly protracted eyes, such as in P. nigropilosa

conophthalma Emery, 1900, or P. striatorugosa exophthalma Forel, 1913.

Polyrhachis gazelle sp. n.

(Figs 3, 6-7)

Type. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, New Britain Prov., Gazelle Pen., Mt

Sinewit, 04938'S, 151958" E, c. 900 m, 5-9.xi.1962, J. Sedláček (QMT 174960), in

OMBA.

Description. Worker. Dimensions: TL c. 11.34; HL 2.72; HW 2.02; CI 74;

SL 3.88; SI 192; PW 1.71; MTL 4.03.

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate; clypeus with poorly indicated, blunt, median carina;

clypeus weakly sinuate in profile, posteriorly rounding into shallow basal margin.

Frontal triangle distinctly impressed. Frontal carinae sinuate, closely approximate

anteriorly with acute, almost vertically raised margins; central area relatively narrow

20 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

with rather flat frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes diverging anteriorly in

weakly convex line before rounding into mandibular bases; behind eyes, sides

forming a blunt carina extending towards rather prominent occipital corners. Eyes

convex, in full face view exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal

dorsum with long, slender, acute spines that are directed anterolaterally and curve

slightly downwards, following lateral outline of mesosomal dorsum; lateral edges of

spines acute and continuous with parallel margins of pronotum. Promesonotal suture

distinctly impressed laterally; mesonotal dorsum transverse with weakly raised

anterior corners; lateral margins shallowly emarginate at midlength before converging

into medially flat metanotal groove. Propodeal dorsum with lateral margins

subparallel, terminating posteriorly in rather indistinct, minute teeth; dorsum

descending into declivity in medially uninterrupted line. Petiole scale-like, only

marginally higher than wide, with anterior and posterior faces converging dorsally in

virtually straight line; dorsal margin armed with two wide-based and tooth-like, acute

spines, with inner margins continuous medially, forming ‘U’-shaped dorsum of

segment; lateral margin of petiole below base of each spine with angular prominence.

Anterior face of first gastral segment flat with anterodorsal margin widely rounding

onto dorsum of gaster.

Mandibles distinctly longitudinally striate with piliferous pits. Clypeus reticulate-

punctate; sides of head obliquely, vertex mostly longitudinally, striate. Sculpturation

on pronotal dorsum finely reticulate-punctate anteriorly, with reticulae more

longitudinally organised towards promesonotal suture. Mesonotal and propodeal dorsa

more distinctly longitudinally striate; sides of mesosoma and propodeal declivity

reticulate-punctate. Petiole and gaster shagreened.

Mandibles along outer margins and masticatory borders with numerous semierect,

golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with a few longer setae medially and several

shorter setae fringing margin laterally. Several pairs of medium length, golden hairs

on clypeus, along frontal carinae and single pair of longer, anteriorly inclined hairs on

vertex; no hairs lining lateral cephalic outline in full face view. Antennal scapes,

mesosoma, petiole, legs and gaster without hairs, except a few hairs on gastral venter

and apex. Whitish, closely appressed pubescence rather scarcely distributed on most

dorsal surfaces, more abundant with distinctly reddish tint on gastral dorsum.

Colour. Black; narrow band behind mandibular masticatory border, apical

funicular segments, legs, including mid and hind coxae, and gaster medium

reddish brown.

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Etymology. Named after the type locality, Gazelle Peninsula on New Britain,

Bismarck Archipelago.

Remarks. The holotype is the only specimen known of this species. It was

collected at Mt Sinewit by the late Josef Sedláček, a former field worker and

a long-time associate of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawai'i.

With rudimentary lateral petiolar teeth and more-or-less normally shaped

eyes, P. gazelle appears to represent an intermediate form between the P.

conops and P. continua complexes.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 21

Figs 1-7. Polyrhachis spp. (1-2, 4-5) P. conops Emery (syntype): (1) head in full face

view; (2) petiole in frontal view; (4) dorsal view; (5) lateral view. (3, 6-7) P. gazelle

sp. n. (holotype): (3) head in full face view; (6) dorsal view; (7) lateral view. Not to

scale.

Polyrhachis manusensis sp. n.

(Figs 8, 11-12)

Types. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Manus Island Prov., c. 8-10 km

WSW of Lorengau, 02°04'S, 147°12'E, 150-200 m, 27-28.vii.1984, rf., ex nest in tree

trunk crevice, R.J. Kohout acc. 84.135 (worker). Paratypes: data as for holotype (56

workers). Holotype and 4 paratypes in ANIC; most paratypes in QMBA; 2 paratypes

each in AMNH, BMNH, CASC, MCZC, MHNG, MNHU and NMNH.

Additional material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Manus Island Prov., (same

data as for holotype, only RJK acc. 84.138) (w); ditto, ex nest in dry bamboo

internode (RJK acc. 84.144) (w).

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 10.84, 9.68-

11.34; HL 2.64, 2.34-2.68; HW 2.00, 1.78-2.06; CI 76, 74-78; SL 3.48, 3.22-

3.53; SI 174, 169-181; PW 2.15, 1.87-2.18; MTL 3.58, 3.22-3.73 (14

measured).

22 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, medially obtusely truncate. Clypeus with poorly

defined, blunt median carina; clypeus virtually straight in profile with rather flat basal

margin. Frontal triangle distinct. Frontal carinae sinuate with moderately raised

margins; central area with poorly defined frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes

weakly concave towards mandibular bases; behind eyes, sides produced into blunt

carina extending towards rather prominent occipital corners. Eyes mildly protracted

posteriorly; in full face view clearly exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking.

Pronotal dorsum distinctly wider than long with relatively short, broad-based, acute

spines directed anterolaterally and curved slightly downwards; lateral edges of spines

acute and continuous with weakly upturned pronotal margins. Promesonotal suture

distinctly impressed; mesonotal dorsum strongly transverse, with moderately raised

lateral margins; metanotal groove deeply impressed laterally, rather flat and

posteriorly bowed medially. Propodeal dorsum with lateral margins strongly raised

anteriorly, virtually flat posteriorly, terminating in blunt propodeal teeth, lateral

borders of teeth continuous posteriorly and somewhat curved inwards into declivity.

Petiole scale-like, dorsal margin armed with two, broad-based, acute spines with inner

margins forming ‘U’-shaped dorsum of segment; lateral margin of petiole below base

of each spine with distinct, acute tooth. Anterior face of first gastral segment flat with

anterodorsal margin widely rounding onto dorsum of gaster.

Mandibles distinctly, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits towards

masticatory borders. Clypeus reticulate-punctate with rest of head and mesosoma,

including sides, distinctly, mostly longitudinally striate; propodeal declivity and

petiole, including spines, finely reticulate-punctate. Gaster finely reticulate-punctate

with sculpture on dorsum somewhat longitudinally striate.

Mandibular masticatory borders and outer margins with numerous, semierect, golden

hairs. Anterior clypeal margin medially with several long, anteriorly directed, golden

setae with distinct reddish tint and fringe of shorter setae laterally. Numerous short to

medium length, erect to semierect hairs on clypeus, along frontal carinae and vertex,

many hairs fringing lateral cephalic outline in full face view. Antennal scapes with

several semierect, short to medium length hairs along leading edge and a few hairs

along inferior edge towards apices. Mesosoma, except declivity, and legs, except

dorsal surfaces of femora, with numerous short to medium length, erect hairs; petiole

with numerous shorter hairs along lateral margins near base and a few occasional

hairs on dorsal spines. Gaster with numerous medium length, posteriorly inclined

hairs, increasing in length towards gastral apex. Closely appressed, silvery white or

greyish pubescence variously distributed over most body surfaces, somewhat shorter

with distinctly reddish tint on gastral dorsum.

Colour. Black; mandibular teeth and apical funicular segments reddish

brown. Legs dark to very dark reddish brown; tarsi mostly black. Gaster

black, apex and venter dark reddish brown.

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Etymology. Named after Manus Island in the Bismarck Archipelago.

Remarks. Polyrhachis manusensis is characterised by its distinctly striate

head and rather broad, longitudinally striate dorsum of mesosoma, which has

short, broadly based pronotal spines. It is evidently endemic to Manus Island.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 23

Figs 8-16. Polyrhachis spp. (8, 11-12) P. manusensis sp. n. (holotype): (8) head in full

face view; (11) dorsal view; (12) lateral view. (9, 13-14) P. sinuata sp. n. (holotype):

(9) head in full face view; (13) dorsal view; (14) lateral view. (10, 15-16) P. stitzi

(voucher specimen): (10) head in full face view; (15) dorsal view; (16) lateral view.

Not to scale.

24 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1 1

Polyrhachis sinuata sp. n.

(Figs 9, 13-14)

Type. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, New Ireland Prov., Lelet Plateau, c-

03°20'S, 151°51'E, c. 950 m, 19-21.vii.1984, R.J. Kohout acc. 84.92 (worker), in

ANIC.

Description. Worker. Dimensions: TL c. 10.84; HL 2.65; HW 2.09; CI 79;

SL 3.63; SI 174; PW 1.53; MTL 3.73.

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate. Clypeus without distinct median carina; virtually

straight in profile with shallow basal margin. Frontal triangle distinct. Frontal carinae

sinuate with only moderately raised margins anteriorly, flat posteriorly; central area

flat with indistinct frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes straight towards

mandibular bases; behind eyes sides produced into blunt carina extending towards

occipital corners. Eyes rather flat, notably when viewed from above, with posterior

blinkers, in full face view eyes marginally exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli

lacking; position of median ocellus indicated by distinct pit in cephalic sculpturation.

Pronotum armed with very short, slender, anterolaterally and dorsally directed spines

with lateral edges continuous with pronotal margins in convex line towards

promesonotal suture. Dorsum of mesosoma convex, only marginally wider than long;

lateral margins only narrowly and weakly raised anteriorly, converging posteriorly

into distinct metanotal groove. Propodeal dorsum in profile forming single convex

line with declivity; lateral margins only weakly converging posteriorly in dorsal view,

terminating in weakly raised, blunt tuberculae. Petiole, including spines, as wide as

high; dorsal spines relatively short and slender; lateral teeth short. Anterior face of

first gastral segment flat, marginally higher than full height of petiole.

Mandibles distinctly, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits towards

masticatory borders. Clypeus reticulate-punctate with rest of head and sides mostly

longitudinally striate. Dorsum of mesosoma finely, more-or-less regularly,

longitudinally striate; sides of mesosoma reticulate-punctate with sculpture organised

into somewhat irregular striations. Petiole very finely reticulate-punctate. Gaster

reticulate-punctate with sculpture on dorsum somewhat longitudinally striate.

Colour. Black; mandibular teeth dark reddish brown, narrow reddish band

along masticatory border. Apical funicular segments and legs very dark

reddish brown; tarsi mostly black. Gaster black, apex and venter dark reddish

brown.

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Etymology. Named for the somewhat sinuate outline of the mesosoma in

dorsal view.

Remarks. Polyrhachis sinuata is a very distinct species featuring very short

and slender pronotal spines and a finely, somewhat longitudinally, reticulate-

striate mesosomal dorsum. Also, the shape of the eyes differs from other

species of the continua-group in being flat with posterior blinkers, quite

similar to those in species of subgenus Hemioptica Roger (see Dorow and

Kohout 1995) or P. aculeata-group species of the subgenus Myrma

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 25

(manuscript in preparation). The unique holotype was collected. foraging on

low vegetation in open woodland along a walking track and, in spite of a

subsequent search, no other specimens were found. Polyrhachis sinuata

appears to be a rare species endemic to higher elevations along the summit of

Lelet Plateau on New Ireland.

Polyrhachis stitzi Santschi, 1928

(Figs 10, 15-16)

Polyrhachis (Myrma) conops var. bismarckensis Karavaiev, 1927: 46. Holotype

worker. Type locality: BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO, ?MNHU, ?IZAS (location

of type unknown). Junior primary homonym of P. mucronata bismarckensis

Forel, 1901: 33).

Polyrhachis (Myrma) conops var. stitzi Santschi, 1928: 139. Replacement name.

Polyrhachis (Myrma) conops var. stitzi Santschi; Kohout, 1998: 519. Junior synonym

of P. conops Forel, 1901. Spurious synonymy.

The holotype of P. conops stitzi cannot be found in the Karavaiev collection

(IZAS) or in the Stitz collection (MNHU) and appears to have been lost.

However, during one of my visits to the Zoological Museum of Humboldt

University in Berlin, that houses the bulk of the Stitz collection, I located a

small bottle containing five unidentified Polyrhachis specimens labelled

*Ralum Dahl'. The series included 2 workers and 3 alate queens, all callows

in various stages of pigmentation, with both workers and two queens in a

sound condition for dry mounting. Their subsequent comparison with P.

conops types, together with Karavaiev's brief description, supports my

opinion that these specimens actually represent P. conops stitzi. Considering

that the holotype was also a callow specimen (‘The segments of the gaster,

from third on, dark yellowish-brown’), it seems reasonable to conclude that

these specimens are part of the original series from which Stitz sent a single

worker specimen to Karavaiev (1927: 46), who diagnosed is as follows:

* Polyrhachis (Myrma) conops For. var. bismarckensis nova. (worker character).

Clypeus ganz wie bei subsp. simplex, ohne Ausschnitt beiderseits des geradlinig

abgestutzten Vorterrandes. Augen eifórmig, vorn breiter, konvex, schief gestellt, das

spitzere Hinterende etwas sackfórmig nach hinten hervorragend. Petiolusschuppe

wie beim Arttypus. Gastersegmente, vom dritten an, dunkel ockerfarben.

Bismarckarchipel, ein (worker character) von H. Stitz. Berliner Zool. Museum,

erhalten.’

Redescription. Worker. Dimensions: TL c. 9.63-10.63; HL 2.62-2.74; HW

2.03-2.15; CI 77-78; SL 3.43-3.53; SI 164-169; PW 1.91-2.02; MTL 3.58-

3.78 (2 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, narrowly medially truncate. Clypeus with blunt,

rather indistinct median carina, virtually straight in profile with shallow depression

anteriorly and weakly impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle distinct. Frontal

carinae sinuate with margins only moderately raised; central area flat with poorly

indicated frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes straight, weakly converging

26 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

towards mandibular bases; behind eyes sides produced into blunt carina extending

towards rather prominent occipital corners. Eyes convex, distinctly protracted

posteriorly; in full face view clearly exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking.

Pronotal dorsum wider than long with relatively short, broad-based, acute spines that

are anterolaterally directed, somewhat dorsomedially flattened and curve slightly

downwards; lateral edges of spines acute and continuous with weakly upturned

margins of pronotum. Promesonotal suture distinctly impressed laterally, rather flat

medially; mesonotal dorsum transverse with only weakly raised lateral margins,

converging into medially flat, metanotal groove. Propodeal dorsum with lateral

margins raised anteriorly, virtually flat posteriorly and terminating in distinct, minute

teeth with inner borders continuous medially for short distance and terminating in

blunt, rather indistinct, transverse carina that somewhat divides dorsum from

declivity. Petiole scale-like, dorsal margin armed with two broad-based, tooth-like

spines with inner margins forming widely open, *U'-shaped dorsum of segment with

indication of rudimentary intercalary tooth; lateral margin of petiole below base of

each spine with distinct, acute tooth. Anterior face of first gastral segment flat, with

anterodorsal margin rather narrowly rounding onto dorsum.

Mandibles distinctly, longitudinally striate. Clypeus reticulate-punctate with rest of

head and mesosoma, including sides, distinctly, rather regularly, longitudinally striate;

propodeal declivity and petiole, including spines, finely reticulate-punctate. Gaster

shagreened.

Mandibular masticatory borders and outer margins with numerous semierect, golden

hairs. Anterior clypeal margin medially with several medium length, anteriorly

directed, golden setae and fringe of shorter setae laterally. Numerous short to medium

length, erect to semierect hairs on clypeus, along frontal carinae and sides of head;

number of hairs decreasing posteriorly with only a few shorter hairs on vertex.

Antennal scapes, mesosoma, petiole and legs without hairs. Gaster with only a few,

rather short, posteriorly inclined hairs, scattered towards apex and venter. Closely

appressed, very short, white or greyish pubescence variously distributed over most

body surfaces, including dorsum of gaster.

Colour. Black; mandibular masticatory borders lined reddish brown;

antennae with funicular segments progressively lighter, yellowish brown

towards apices. Legs, including mid and hind coxae, medium reddish brown;

front coxae and tarsi shade darker. Gaster reddish brown.

Queen (not previously described). Dimensions: TL c. 11.54-11.89; HL 2.62-

2.71; HW 1.95-2.09; CI 74-77; SL 3.33-3.38; SI 162-171; PW 2.37-2.40;

MTL 3.48-3.53 (2 measured).

Queen larger than worker with usual characters identifying full sexuality, including

three ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings. Pronotal spines distinctly shorter,

broad-based. Mesoscutum only marginally wider than long; lateral margins strongly

converging anteriorly into narrowly rounded anterior margin; median line distinct;

parapsides virtually flat; mesoscutum in profile with relatively low, widely rounded

anterior face and only slightly convex dorsum. Mesoscutellum only weakly convex,

not distinctly elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma. Propodeum convex in outline

with lateral margins terminating in medially directed, short ridges and blunt border

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 27

dividing propodeal dorsum from declivity. Petiole with dorsal spines distinctly shorter

and wider at bases; dorsum with distinct intercalary tooth. Dorsum of mesoscutum

with several short, erect hairs and a few marginally longer hairs on dorsum of

mesoscutellum. Sculpturation, pubescence and colour very similar to worker.

Male and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. Polyrhachis stitzi stands relatively close to P. conops and I

previously considered them conspecific (Kohout 1998: 519). However, after

subsequent examination and direct comparison, I now believe they represent

separate biological species. Polyrhachis conops is distinctly more slender

with the leading edge of the antennae featuring numerous short hairs that are

completely lacking in P. stitzi.

Polyrhachis continua-complex

Polyrhachis continua Emery, 1887

(Figs 17, 20-21)

Polyrhachis continua Emery, 1887: 235, pl. 4, fig. 21. Holotype worker. Type

locality: INDONESIA, Ternate I., Aqui Conora (O. Beccari), MSNG (examined).

Polyrhachis continua var. revocata Viehmeyer, 1913: 151. Syntype workers. Type

locality: INDONESIA, SULAWESI (in copal), MNHU (examined). Synonymy

by Kohout, 1998: 519.

Additional material examined. NEW GUINEA SE: Paumomu Riv. (= Angabanga

Riv.), ix-xii.1892 (L. Loria) (w) [specimens in the Emery collection (MSNG)

erroneously labelled as syntypes]. NEW GUINEA: Bulolo, 2300', 12.xii.1967, rf.

(B.B. Lowery) (w). PAPUA: N. Distr., Managalese area, viii.1965 (R. Pullen) (w);

Middle Moorhead Riv., c. 08°50’S, 141?30'E, viii.1965, dry sclero. (R. Pullen) (w).

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Northern Prov., Owen Stanley Ra., nr Mamba Pltn, c. 7 km

WNW of Kokoda, 08°51’S, 147°41’E, 500 m, 31.viii-1.ix.1984 (RJK acc. 84.403) (w,

2).

Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 10.18, 9.42-10.68; HL 2.50,

2.31-2.59; HW 1.81, 1.65-1.87; CI 72, 70-74; SL 3.48, 3.12-3.48; SI 192,

181-192; PW 1.53, 1.53-1.87; MTL 3.68, 3.22-3.68 (1+10 measured).

Queen (not previously described). Dimensions: TL c. 11.04-11.29; HL 2.62-

2.68; HW 2.09-2.12; CI 79-80; SL 3.38-3.43; SI 162; PW 2.37-2.40; MTL

3.33-3.48 (2 measured).

Queen larger than worker with usual characters identifying full sexuality, including

three ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings. Pronotal spines distinctly shorter,

only about 2x as long as basal width. Mesoscutum wider than long; lateral margins

converging anteriorly into narrowly rounded anterior margin; median line distinct;

parapsides virtually flat anteriorly, weakly raised posteriorly; mesoscutum in profile

with relatively low anterior face rounding onto weakly convex dorsum.

Mesoscutellum only weakly convex, not elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma.

Propodeum with lateral margins terminating in medially directed, short ridges;

propodeal dorsum descending into steeply descending declivity in medially

uninterrupted line. Petiole with dorsal spines distinctly shorter, inner margins forming

28 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (17

‘U’-shaped dorsum of segment. Sculpturation, pilosity, pubescence and colour

scheme very similar to worker.

Male and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. Direct comparison of the continua holotype and continua revocata

syntype has shown they are very similar. The clypeus is almost straight with

only a shallow depression at the anterior margin, which is distinctly medially

truncate. The frontal carinae are markedly closely approximate, leaving the

central area rather narrow, only scarcely widening posteriorly towards the

vertex. However, in P. continua, the somewhat flattened pronotal spines are

shorter, less divergent and minutely emarginated at their bases, while in P.

continua revocata the dorsolateral borders of the spines merge with the

pronotal margins in an uninterrupted line. The petiolar spines of P. continua

revocata are also slightly longer than in P. continua. The head and mesosoma

in P. continua is very finely, more or less regularly, striate-punctate, while

the sculpturation in P. continua revocata is somewhat more distinct and more

regular. However, when the types of both are compared with additional

material from New Guinea, it becomes apparent that the characters separating

these forms fall well within the limits of variability of a single species.

Polyrhachis inusitata Kohout, 1989

(Figs 18, 22-23)

Polyrhachis inusitata Kohout, 1989: 513. Holotype and paratype worker. Type

locality: AUSTRALIA, QUEENSLAND, Cape York Pen., West Claudie R., Iron

Range area, 12?44'S, 143?14'E, 3-10.xii.1985 (G.B. Monteith & D. Cook)

QMBA, ANIC.

Polyrhachis inusitata Kohout, 1998: 520. Junior synonym of P. sericeopubescens

Donisthorpe, 1941: 61. Erroneous synonymy.

Polyrhachis inusitata Kohout; Kohout, 2012: 39. Status reversal.

Additional material examined. QUEENSLAND: Mcllwraith Ra., Leo Creek Road, c.

13°44’S, 143?19" E, 10-20.vii.1976 (P. Filewood) (paratype worker); Cape York Pen.,

6 km ENE of Mt Tozer, 12°44’S, 143?16'E, 30.vi.1986 (T. Weir & A. Calder) (w);

Mcllwraith Ra., 11 km WbyN of Bald Hill, 13°44’S, 143?20'E, 26.vi-13.vii.1989, 500

m (I.D. Naumann) (w).

Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 10.53, 9.38-10.53; HL 2.56,

2.31-2.56; HW 1.87, 1.72-1.87; CI 73, 74; SL 3.53, 3.30-3.53; SI 189, 192-

199; PW 1.61, 1.36-1.61; MTL 3.56, 3.38-3.58 (1+3 measured).

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. Polyrhachis inusitata closely resembles P. sericeopubescens

Donisthorpe and P. continua Emery and previously was erroneously

synonymised with the former (Kohout 1998). However, P. inusiata differs

from P. sericeopubescens in several characters, including smaller size,

irregularly reticulate-rugose sides of the mesosoma, distinctly shorter and

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 29

Figs 17-25. Polyrhachis spp. (17, 20-21) P. continua Emery (holotype): (17) head in

full face view; (20) dorsal view; (21) lateral view. (18, 22-23) P. inusitata Kohout

(holotype): (18) head in full face view; (22) dorsal view; (23) lateral view. (19, 24-25)

P. neuguinensis sp. n. (holotype): (19) head in full face view; (24) dorsal view; (25)

lateral view. Not to scale.

30 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

more abundant gastral pilosity and lateral petiolar teeth reduced to more or

less distinct denticles or virtually obsolete. In contrast, the available syntype

of P. sericeopubescens is larger (HL 2.62 in sericeopubescens versus 2.31-

2.56 in inusitata), the lateral branches of mesosoma are distinctly

longitudinally striate, the gastral pilosity is longer and more sparse and the

lateral petiolar teeth are distinctly produced.

Polyrhachis inusitata differs from P. continua by its distinctly slender body,

reticulate-rugose sculpturation and the abundant short hairs distributed over

most of the body. In contrast, in P. continua the body is wider and relatively

robust, the sculpturation on the head and mesosoma is more-or-less regularly

longitudinally striate and the hairs are distinctly longer and much diluted.

Polyrhachis neuguinensis sp. n.

(Figs 19, 24-25)

Types. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, West Sepik Prov., Pes Mission, c.

12 km WSW of Aitape, 03°11’S, 142°15’E, c. 50 m, 3.viii.1984, swampy lowland rf.,

ex nest in tree trunk crevice, R.J. Kohout acc. 84.201 (worker). Paratypes: data as for

holotype (10 workers, alate queen). Holotype, paratype worker and queen in ANIC; 5

paratype workers in QMBA; 2 paratype workers each in BMNH and MCZC.

Additional material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, West Sepik Prov., Pes

Mission, c. 12 km WSW of Aitape, 03°11’S, 142°15’E, c. 50 m, 3.viii.1984, swampy

lowland rf., strays on low vegetation (RJK accs 84.160) (w).

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 10.43, 9.37-

10.43; HL 2.56, 2.34-2.56; HW 2.00, 1,78-2.00; CI 78, 76-80; SL 3.33, 3.02-

3.33; SI 166, 162-172; PW 1.68, 1.50-1.68; MTL 3.53, 3.22-3.53 (11

measured).

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, medially obtusely truncate and shallowly emarginate.

Clypeus with posteriorly raised median carina; clypeus in profile straight with shallow

depression behind anterior margin, posteriorly rounding into shallow basal margin.

Frontal triangle distinctly impressed. Frontal carinae with highly raised, laminate

margins; central area narrow with indistinct frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of

eyes virtually straight, weakly converging anteriorly; behind eyes sides produced into

blunt carina extending towards rather prominent occipital corners. Eyes convex,

moderately posteriorly protracted, in full face view exceeding lateral cephalic outline.

Ocelli lacking. Pronotal dorsum with long, slender, acute spines directed

anterolaterally and curved slightly downwards, lateral edges of spines acute and

continuous with weakly upturned pronotal margins. Promesonotal suture distinctly

impressed laterally; mesonotal dorsum transverse with strongly raised, laminate,

lateral margins converging into medially flat, posteriorly bowed, metanotal groove.

Propodeal dorsum with lateral margins strongly raised anteriorly, virtually flat

posteriorly and terminating in distinct, acute teeth with inner borders continuous

medially for short distance and terminating in blunt, transverse carina that somewhat

divides propodeal dorsum from declivity. Petiole scale-like, with dorsal margin armed

with two slender, posteriorly curved, acute spines with inner margins forming ‘U’-

shaped petiolar dorsum; lateral margins of petiole below base of each spine with

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 31

short, distinct, acute tooth. Anterior face of first gastral segment flat, anterodorsal

margin widely rounding onto dorsum.

Mandibles distinctly, longitudinally striate. Clypeus reticulate-punctate; rest of head

and mesosoma, including sides, distinctly, mostly longitudinally striate; propodeal

declivity and petiole, including spines, finely reticulate. Gaster finely shagreened.

Mandibular masticatory borders and outer margins with numerous, semierect, golden

hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with several long, anteriorly directed setae medially

and fringe of shorter setae laterally. Numerous short to medium length, erect to

semierect hairs on clypeus, along frontal carinae and vertex, many hairs fringing

lateral cephalic outline in full face view. Antennal scapes with numerous, semierect,

short to medium length hairs along leading edge and several hairs along inferior edge.

Mesosoma, except declivity, and legs, except dorsal surfaces of femora, with

numerous short to medium length, erect hairs; petiole with numerous. shorter hairs

along lateral margins, including inner margins of spines. Gaster with numerous

medium length, posteriorly inclined hairs, distinctly increasing in length towards

gastral apex and over venter. Closely appressed, silvery white or greyish pubescence

variously distributed over most body surfaces, somewhat shorter with distinctly

reddish tint on gastral dorsum.

Colour. Black; mandibular masticatory borders lined reddish brown;

antennae with funicular segments progressively lighter, yellowish brown,

towards apices. Legs, including mid and hind coxae, medium reddish brown;

front coxae and tarsi a shade darker. Gaster reddish brown.

Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 11.69; HL 2.62; HW 2.09; CI 80; SL 3.28; SI 157;

PW 2.34; MTL 3.53 (1 measured).

Queen larger than worker with usual characters identifying full sexuality, including

three ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings. Pronotal spines distinctly shorter,

broad-based. Mesoscutum only marginally wider than long; lateral margins strongly

converging anteriorly into narrowly rounded anterior margin; median line distinct;

parapsides virtually flat; mesoscutum in profile with relatively low, widely rounded

anterior face and only slightly convex dorsum. Mesoscutellum only weakly convex,

not distinctly elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma. Propodeum convex in outline

with lateral margins terminating in medially directed, short ridges; propodeal dorsum

descending into weakly concave declivity in medially uninterrupted line. Petiole with

dorsal spines distinctly shorter and dorsum between with minute intercalary denticle.

Sculpturation, pilosity, pubescence and colour scheme very similar to worker.

Male and immature stages unknown.

Etymology. Named after the island of New Guinea.

Remarks. Polyrhachis neuguinensis is an easily recognised species featuring

a rather slender mesosomal dorsum with distinctly upturned lateral margins

and relatively long pronotal spines. It also features acute, distinctly upturned,

propodeal teeth and a transverse carina that completely divides the propodeal

dorsum from the declivity. The type series specimens were collected from a

nest in a tree crevice in swampy lowland rainforest.

32 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Polyrhachis planoculata sp. n.

(Figs 26, 29-30)

Type. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Northern Prov., Maru Riv. (= ?

Maiiu Riv.), 32 km S of Wanigela, for. clearing, vii.1972, R.J. Pullen (w), in ANIC.

Description. Worker. Dimensions: TL c. 11.14; HL 2.81; HW 2.09; CI 74;

SL 3.78; SI 181; PW 1.81; MTL 3.93 (1 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, medially obtusely truncate. Clypeus with blunt,

poorly indicated median carina; clypeus virtually straight in profile, posteriorly

rounding into well impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle distinct. Frontal carinae

with highly raised, laminate margins; central area narrow with rather short, but

distinct, frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes virtually straight, weakly

converging anteriorly; behind eyes, sides produced into blunt carina extending

towards occipital corners. Eyes rather flat, notably when viewed from behind, in full

face view not reaching lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal dorsum armed

with only moderately long, anterolaterally directed, acute spines; lateral margins

behind bases of spines rather flat, only weakly converging towards promesonotal

suture. Mesonotal dorsum transverse with almost vertically raised anterior corners of

lateral margins; metanotal groove flat. Propodeal dorsum with lateral margins only

weakly raised anteriorly, converging posteriorly and terminating in blunt tuberculae;

dorsum descending into declivity in rather smooth, evenly rounded curve. Petiole

scale-like, dorsal margin armed with two slender, somewhat posteriorly curved,

weakly divergent, acute spines with inner margins forming 'U'-shaped petiolar

dorsum; lateral margins of petiole below base of each spine with small, acute tooth.

Anterior face of first gastral segment flat, with anterodorsal margin widely rounding

onto dorsum.

Mandibles distinctly, longitudinally striate. Clypeus and front of head reticulate-

punctate with pattern on sides and vertex somewhat longitudinally directed. Dorsum

of mesosoma distinctly, mostly longitudinally reticulate-punctate; sides of mesosoma

finely wrinkled; propodeal declivity and petiole, including spines, finely reticulate.

Gaster finely shagreened.

Mandibular masticatory borders and outer margins with numerous, semierect,

relatively long, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with several long, anteriorly

directed setae medially and fringe of shorter setae laterally. Numerous short to

medium length, semierect hairs on clypeus, along frontal carinae and vertex; many

shorter hairs fringing lateral cephalic outline in full face view. Antennal scapes with

several, semierect, rather short hairs along leading edge. Dorsa of pronotum and

mesonotum with very few, relatively short, semierect hairs; no hairs on propodeal

dorsum and petiole. Several short, semierect hairs along ventral surfaces of femora

and on tibiae. Petiole with numerous shorter hairs along lateral margins, including

inner margins of spines. Gaster with numerous short or medium length, posteriorly

inclined hairs, distinctly increasing in length towards gastral apex and over venter.

Closely appressed, very short, silvery white or greyish pubescence variously over

most body surfaces, with somewhat reddish tint on dorsum of gaster.

Colour. Black; mandibular masticatory borders lined reddish brown;

antennae with funicular segments progressively lighter, yellowish brown

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 33

towards apices. Legs dark reddish brown, tarsi a shade darker. Gastral venter

and apex reddish brown.

j eae

d C —— he unii gr] - d 4

Figs 26-34. Polyrhachis spp. (26, 29-30) P. planoculata sp. n. (holotype): (26) head in

full face view; (29) dorsal view; (30) lateral view. (27, 31-32) P. procera Emery

(syntype): (27) head in full face view; (31) dorsal view; (32) lateral view. (28, 33-34)

P. pulleni sp. n. (holotype): (28) head in full face view; (33) dorsal view; (34) lateral

view. Not to scale.

34 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Etymology. Name derived from the combination of Latin words planus,

meaning flat, and oculus, meaning eye, for its rather peculiar flat eyes.

Remarks. Polyrhachis planoculata is the only known species of this group

with the eyes not reaching the lateral cephalic outline in full face view. The

flatness of the eyes is particularly evident when the head is viewed from

behind (Fig. 29).

Polyrhachis procera Emery, 1897

(Figs 27, 31-32)

Polyrhachis continua var. procera Emery, 1897: 581. Syntype workers, queens. Type

locality: NEW GUINEA, Haveri (L. Loria), MSNG (examined).

Polyrhachis procera Emery; Kohout, 1998: 519. Raised to species.

Additional material examined. INDONESIA, WEST IRIAN: Star Mts., Bivak 36,

1220 m, 29.vii.1959 (Neth. New Guinea Exp.) (w); ditto, Sibil Valley, 05°00’S,

141°00°E, 1260 m, 2.v.1959, on light (Neth. New Guinea Exp.) (9); PAPUA NEW

GUINEA: Wau Ecology Stn., 07°20’S, 146?43'E, 27.v.-4.vi.1987 (P.J.& J.O.

Schmidt) (w); Tatupiti nr Tapini, 08?21'S, 146?59'E, 1200 m, viii.1962, rf. (R.W.

Taylor acc. 2293) (w).

Worker. Dimensions (syntype cited first): TL c. 12.40, 11.89-12.85 ; HL

2.90, 2.87-3.06; HW 1.93, 1.93-2.09; CI 66, 66-69; SL 4.28, 4.18-4.54; SI

222, 216-222; PW 1.86, 1.76-1.91; MTL 4.48, 4.43-4.79 (1+3 measured).

Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 12.70; HL 2.93; HW 2.18; CI 74; SL 3.93; SI 180;

PW 2.62; MTL 3.88 (1 measured).

Besides characters associated with full sexuality and the shorter pronotal and

petiolar spines, the single alate queen resembles the workers very closely.

The pilosity is somewhat denser, notably along the leading edge of the

antennal scapes and the mesosomal dorsum.

Male and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. Emery (1897: 582) separated P. procera from P. continua by its

larger size and more pronounced striation of the head and thorax (^... sono piü

grandi e con striatura del capo e del torace pit marcata’). However, direct

comparison of the syntypes of both species has revealed differences in a

number of other characters. In P. procera the clypeus in profile is gently

sinuate, with the anterior margin vaguely obtuse medially (entire in modern

specimens). In contrast, the clypeus in P. continua is almost straight in

profile, with only a shallow depression anteriorly and the anterior margin is

distinctly truncate medially. The pronotal spines in P. procera are relatively

long and slender and the lateral margins of mesonotal dorsum virtually flat

and converge anteriorly. In P. continua the pronotal spines are distinctly

shorter and the lateral margins of mesonotal dorsum are raised and converge

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 35

posteriorly. Examination of the types and other available specimens clearly

demonstrates P. procera to be a distinct species from P. continua and

supports the earlier action of raising it to specific status (Kohout 1998).

Polyrhachis pulleni sp. n.

(Figs 28, 33-34)

Types. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Milne Bay Distr., 20 km W of

Rabaraba, c. 610 m, viii.1969, R.J. Pullen. Paratype: data as for holotype (6 workers).

Holotype and 3 paratypes in ANIC; 1 paratype each in BMNH, MCZC and QMBA.

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 12.40, 12.10-

12.85; HL 3.06, 2.93-3.09; HW 2.21, 2.12-2.28; CI 72, 71-75; SL 4.08, 3.98-

4.13; SI 185, 179-188; PW 2.12, 2.03-2.15; MTL 4.48, 4.33-4.54 (7

measured).

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, shallowly truncate. Clypeus with poorly distinct

median carina, sinuate in profile, with shallow basal margin. Frontal triangle

indistinct. Frontal carinae sinuate with strongly raised margins; central area relatively

narrow with weakly impressed frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes almost

straight before rounding into mandibular bases; behind eyes, sides produced into blunt

carina extending towards occipital corners. Eyes convex; in full face view clearly

exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal dorsum with relatively

long, broad-based, anterolaterally directed, acute spines; lateral edges of spines acute,

terminating posteriorly in more-or-less distinct notches before merging with distinctly

upturned, subparallel pronotal margins. Promesonotal suture distinctly impressed

laterally, rather flat medially; mesonotal dorsum transverse with rather highly and

widely raised lateral margins, weakly converging into medially flat metanotal groove.

Propodeum with lateral margins raised anteriorly, flat posteriorly and terminating in

blunt tuberculae; propodeal dorsum descending into declivity in weakly curved,

medially uninterrupted line.

Petiole scale-like with anterior and posterior faces almost flat, strongly converging

dorsally; dorsal margin armed with two slender, posteriorly curved, acute spines with

inner margins forming ‘U’-shaped petiolar dorsum; lateral margin of petiole below

base of each spine with short, distinct, acute tooth. Anterior face of first gastral

segment flat at base, narrowly rounding onto dorsum.

Mandibles finely, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits towards

masticatory borders. Clypeus reticulate-punctate; sculpturation obliquely striate on

sides and mostly longitudinally striate on vertex and between frontal carinae and eyes.

Pronotal dorsum and bases of spines finely reticulate-punctate with sculpture

somewhat organised into indistinct striae towards promesonotal suture. Mesonotal and

propodeal dorsa rather regularly longitudinally striate, with propodeal declivity finely

reticulate-punctate. Petiole reticulate-punctate, with spines towards tips almost

smooth. Gaster shagreened.

Mandibles along outer margin and towards masticatory borders with numerous

suberect, relatively long, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with a few, rather long

setae medially and several shorter setae fringing margin laterally. Numerous,

semierect or erect, medium length or relatively long hairs on clypeus and front of

36 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

head; numerous hairs fringing outline of head in full face view; antennal scapes with

numerous, relatively long hairs along leading edge and somewhat fewer hairs along

inferior edge. Mesosoma and legs with numerous, medium length hairs; petiole with

numerous hairs around base and along lateral margins and inner margins of spines.

Gaster with numerous, posteriorly directed, relatively long hairs with longer than half

greatest diameter of eyes. Closely appressed, rather diluted, silvery pubescence over

most body surfaces, more dense and distinctly reddish on gastral dorsum.

Colour. Black; wide band along masticatory borders and apical funicular

segments reddish brown. Legs medium to dark reddish brown with

trochanters and apical tarsal segments a shade lighter. Gaster very dark

brown dorsally, with base, venter and apex reddish brown.

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Etymology. Named after the collector, R.J. Pullen, who collected many

species of ants during his field work throughout Papua New Guinea.

Remarks. With its larger size (HL 72.90) and distinctly upturned pronotal and

mesonotal lateral margins, P. pulleni somewhat resembles P. robusta. Both

feature distinct propodeal teeth and a transverse carina dividing the propodeal

dorsum from the declivity, similar to above described P. neuguinensis.

However, in the latter species the propodeal teeth are acute and distinctly

upturned and the carina completely divides the dorsum from declivity. In

both the other species the carina is incomplete, with the propodeal dorsum

descending into the declivity in weakly curved, medially uninterrupted line.

The pronotal spines in P. pulleni are relatively shorter, broad-based and only

about 2x as long as their basal width, while in P. robusta they are distinctly

longer, about 3x as long as their basal width. Also, the antennal scapes in the

former are generally shorter (SI 179-188 in P. pulleni versus 185-199 in P.

robusta).

Polyrhachis robusta sp. n.

(Figs 35, 38-39)

Types. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, N. Distr. Managalase Area, 2500-

3000’, viii.1965, R. Pullen. Paratypes: data as for holotype (2 workers); Northern

Prov. Owen Stanley Ra., nr Mamba Pltn, c. 7 km WNW of Kokoda, 08°51’S,

147?41'E, 500 m, 31.viii-1.ix.1984, stray on felled trees (R.J. Kohout acc. 84.403)

(worker); ditto, ex rotten log (RJK acc. 84.391) (9). Holotype worker in ANIC; 1

paratype worker and paratype queen in QMBA; 1 paratype worker each in BMNH

and MCZC.

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 12.90, 12.65-

13.00; HL 3.12, 3.03-3.12; HW 2.28, 2.15-2.28; CI 73, 71-74; SL 4.38, 4.28-

4.38; SI 192; 185-199; PW 2.15, 2.03-2.18; MTL 4.54, 4.43-4.59 (1+3

measured).

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, shallowly truncate. Clypeus without distinct median

carina, weakly sinuate in profile, with shallow basal margin. Frontal triangle distinct.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 37

e TR E E I A. -

Figs 35-43. Polyrhachis spp. (35, 38-39) P. robusta sp. n. (holotype): (35) head in full

face view; (38) dorsal view; (39) lateral view. (36, 40-41) P. sericeopubescens

Donisthorpe (syntype): (36) head in full face view; (40) dorsal view; (41) lateral view.

(37, 42-43) P. simpla Emery (syntype): (37) head in full face view; (42) dorsal view;

(43) lateral view. Not to scale.

Frontal carinae sinuate with strongly raised margins; central area relatively narrow

with weakly impressed frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes weakly diverging

anteriorly before rounding into mandibular bases; behind eyes, sides produced into

38 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

blunt carina extending towards rather prominent occipital corners. Eyes convex; in

full face view clearly exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal

dorsum with long, slender, anterolaterally directed, acute spines; bases of spines

somewhat dorsomedially flattened with lateral edges acute and continuous with

distinctly upturned pronotal margins. Promesonotal suture distinctly impressed

laterally, rather flat medially; mesonotal dorsum transverse with distinctly raised

lateral margins, converging into medially flat metanotal groove. Propodeum with

lateral margins raised anteriorly, flat posteriorly and terminating in distinct, short,

transverse ridges; propodeal dorsum descending into declivity in weakly curved,

medially uninterrupted line. Petiole scale-like with anterior face flat, posterior face

weakly convex, strongly converging dorsally; dorsal margin armed with two slender,

posteriorly curved, acute spines with inner margins forming widely open *U'-shaped

petiolar dorsum; lateral margin of petiole below base of each spine with short,

distinct, acute tooth. Anterior face of first gastral segment flat at base, rounding

anterodorsally onto dorsum.

Mandibles finely, longitudinally striate at bases; striae less regular and with numerous

piliferous pits towards masticatory borders. Clypeus and vertex along occipital margin

and towards occipital corners reticulate-punctate; sculpturation obliquely striate on

sides and longitudinally striate from vertex towards central area and between frontal

carinae and eyes. Pronotal dorsum and bases of spines finely reticulate-punctate with

sculpture more regularly striate towards promesonotal suture; mesonotum rather

regularly longitudinally striate, with striae continuous medially onto basal portion of

propodeum; striae much finer and somewhat medially *U'-shaped posteriorly.

Propodeal declivity and petiole very finely reticulate-punctate, spines towards tips

almost smooth. Gaster shagreened.

Mandibles along outer margin and towards masticatory borders with numerous erect

and suberect, relatively long, golden hairs with somewhat reddish tint. A few, rather

long setae arising medially from anterior clypeal margin with shorter setae fringing

margin laterally. Numerous, semierect or erect, medium length or relatively long hairs

of same colour rather abundant on clypeus and rest of head; numerous hairs fringing

outline of head in full face view; antennal scapes with numerous, relatively long hairs

along leading edge and somewhat fewer hairs along inferior edge. Mesosoma and legs

with numerous, medium length hairs; petiole with several hairs around base and a few

hairs along lateral margins and spines. Gaster with numerous, posteriorly directed,

relatively long hairs, some as long as greatest diameter of eyes. Closely appressed,

rather diluted, silvery pubescence over most body surfaces, more dense and distinctly

reddish on gastral dorsum.

Colour. Black; mandibular teeth and apical funicular segments reddish

brown. Legs black or very dark reddish brown with trochanters and apical

tarsal segments medium reddish brown.

Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 13.51, HL 3.18; HW 2.34; CI 73; SL 4.18; SI 179;

PW 2.72; MTL 4.33 (1 measured).

Queen larger than worker with usual characters identifying full sexuality, including

three ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings. Pronotal spines shorter.

Mesoscutum only marginally wider than long; lateral margins strongly converging

anteriorly into narrowly rounded anterior margin; median line distinct; parapsides

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 39

virtually flat; mesoscutum in profile with widely rounded anterior face and virtually

flat dorsum. Mesoscutellum only weakly convex, not elevated above dorsal plane of

mesosoma. Propodeum almost flat in outline, with lateral margins weakly raised

anteriorly and terminating in short ridges that extend medially as a blunt, transverse

border, partly dividing propodeal dorsum from declivity. Petiole with dorsal spines

distinctly shorter. Sculpturation, pilosity, pubescence and colour very similar to

worker.

Male and immature stages unknown.

Etymology. The name alludes to its rather robust body in comparison with the

closely similar P. continua.

Remarks. Polyrhachis robusta bears a close similarity to P. pulleni, with

differences between them discussed above under the latter species.

Polyrhachis robusta also somewhat resembles P. continua with which it is

sympatric at both localities it has been collected. However, they are easily

separated with P. continua being distinctly more slender and lacking the hairs

on the antennal scapes and petiolar node that are rather abundant in P.

robusta. Also, the petiolar spines in P. continua are virtually parallel, while

they are distinctly divergent in P. robusta.

Polyrhachis sericeopubescens Donisthorpe, 1941

(Figs 36, 40-41)

Polyrhachis (Myrma) sericeopubescens Donisthorpe, 1941: 61. Syntype worker,

queen. Original localities: NEW GUINEA: Japen I., Mt Baduri, 1000ft, viii.1938

(for w); Mt Eiori, 2000ft, x.1938 (for 9) (both L.E. Cheesman) BMNH

(examined).

Polyrhachis sericeopubescens Donisthorpe; Kohout, 1998: 520. Senior synonym of P.

inusitata Kohout. Erroneous synonymy.

Polyrhachis conops var. cuspidata Stitz, 1911: 376. Syntype workers. Type locality:

NEW GUINEA (Schultze), MNHU (examined). Junior primary homonym of

Polyrhachis cuspidatus Fr. Smith, 1857: 63. Syn. n.

Polyrhachis conops cuspidata Stitz; Kohout, 1998: 520.

Additional material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: West Sepik Prov., Pes

Mission, c. 12 km WSW of Aitape, 03?11'S, 142?15'E, «50 m, 31.vii-3.viii.1984

(RJK acc. 84.206) (w).

Dimensions of sericeopubescens syntypes (queen cited last): TL c. 10.73,

13.36; HL 2.62, 3.03; HW 2.00, 2.15; CI 76, 71; SL 3.68, 4.13; SI 184, 192;

PW 1.75, 2.81; MTL 3.68, 4.28 (1+1 measured).

Remarks. Donisthorpe (1941), in his original description, noted that *This

distinct species in the striata group does not agree with any of the

descriptions of other species of Myrma from these regions'. However, direct

comparation of P. sericeopubescens syntype with that of P. conops cuspidata

Stitz revealed they were virtually identical and undoubtedly conspecific. In

fact, P. sericeopubescens is also very similar to P. spinifera and differs from

40 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

that species mainly by its smaller size (HL 2.63 in sericeopubescens versus

2.81-2.96 in spinifera) and in having the pronotal dorsum distinctly narrower

(only 1.13x wider than long in sericeopubescens versus 1.5x wider than long

in spinifera). Polyrhachis sericeopubescens has also been considered a senior

synonym of P. inusitata (Kohout 1998); however, recent direct comparison

of the types of both species and examination of several more recently

collected specimens has confirmed they represent separate taxa (Kohout

2012).

Polyrhachis simpla Santschi, 1928

(Figs 37, 42-43)

Polyrhachis (Myrma) conops subsp. simplex Karavaiev, 1927: 45. Syntype workers,

queens, males. Type locality: INDONESIA, Aru Is: Wammar (V. Karavaiev),

IZAS, OMBA (examined). Junior primary homonym of P. simplex Mayr, 1862:

682.

Polyrhachis (Myrma) conops st. simpla Santschi, 1928: 139. Replacement name.

Polyrhachis simpla Santschi; Kohout, 1998: 520. Raised to species.

Additional material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: West Sepik Prov., Pes

Mission, c. 12 km WSW of Aitape, 03?11'S, 142?15'E, c. 50 m, 3.viii.1984, swampy

lowland rf., ex nest in tree trunk crevice (RJK accs 84.184, 214) (w).

Dimensions of conops simpla syntypes: TL c. 9.78-11.54; HL 2.59-2.77; HW

1.87-2.02; CI 71- 73; SL 3.63-3.88; SI 192-196; PW 1.96-2.17; MTL

3.83-4.03 (4 measured).

Sexuals apparently present in Karavaiev collection in Kiev, Ukraine (IZAS).

Remarks. Polyrhachis simpla is very similar to P. spinifera and P.

sericeopubescens, however, it differs from both in having the lateral margins

of the pronotal dorsum virtually flat, while they are distinctly upturned in the

other species. Also, the lateral margins of mesonotum distinctly converge

posteriorly in P. simpla, while they are subparallel in both P. spinifera and P.

sericeopubescens.

Polyrhachis spinifera Stitz, 1911

(Figs 44-45, 47-48)

Polyrhachis conops var. spinifera Stitz, 1911: 376. Syntype workers. Type locality:

NEW GUINEA, Tana (Moszkowski), MNHU, MHNG (examined).

Polyrhachis continua var. hirsutula Emery, 1911: 256. Syntype workers. Type

locality: NEW GUINEA, R. Digul (Digool on locality label) (= Digoel River),

MSNG (examined). Synonymy by Kohout, 1998: 520.

Polyrhachis spinifera Stitz; Kohout, 1998: 520. Raised to species.

Additional material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Murua Riv. nr Kerema,

07°50’S, 145°52’E, 10 m, 20.xii.1964 (Malaise trap) (J. Sedláček) (w); West Sepik

Prov., Pes Mission, c. 12 km WSW of Aitape, 03°11’S, 142°15’E, <50m, 31.vii-

3.viii.1984, ex nest in dry bamboo internode (RJK acc. 84.184, w, 9); ditto, strays on

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 41

foliage and vegetation (RJK acc. 84.206) (w, 9); ditto, ex nest in rotting tree branch

on ground (RJK acc. 84.208) (w, 9); Central Prov.: 5 km NW of Brown Riv. For. Stn,

09?10'S, 147°12’E, «50 m, 6.ix.1984, ex nest in rotting log (RJK acc. 84.442) (w, 9);

Astrolabe Ra., Musgrove Riv. Valley, c. 350m, vi.1962, rf. (R.W. Taylor acc. 1844)

(w). i

Figs 44-50. Polyrhachis spp. (44-45, 47-48): P. spinifera Stitz (syntype); (44) head in

full face view; (45) petiole in frontal view; (47) dorsal view; (48) lateral view. (46,

49-50) P. tapini sp. n. (holotype); (46) head in full face view; (49) dorsal view; (50)

lateral view. Not to scale.

Worker. Dimensions of conops spinifera and continua hirsutula syntypes: TL

c. 11.44-12.20; HL 2.81-2.96; HW 2.04-2.15; CI 72-75; SL 3.88-3.96; SI

183-194; PW 1.96-2.31; MTL 3.93-4.03 (3 measured).

Queen (not previously described). Dimensions: TL c. 12.50-12.60; HL 2.84-

2.93; HW 2.06-2.15; CI 72-73; SL 3.78-3.83; SI 178-183; PW 2.53-2.62;

MTL 3.68-3.83 (2 measured).

42 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Larger than worker with usual characters identifying full sexuality, including three

ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings. Pronotal spines shorter. Mesoscutum

only marginally wider than long; lateral margins strongly converging anteriorly into

narrowly rounded anterior margin; median line distinct; parapsides virtually flat, only

weakly raised posteriorly; mesoscutum in profile with widely rounded anterior face

and weakly convex, posteriorly almost flat, dorsum. Mesoscutellum only weakly

convex, marginally elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma. Propodeum with latera]

margins distinctly rounded anteriorly and weakly raised towards middle of their

length; margins terminating posteriorly in short ridges that extend medially for a short

distance with dorsum between them descending into declivity in medially

uninterrupted line. Petiole with dorsal spines distinctly shorter. Sculpturation, pilosity,

pubescence and colour scheme virtually identical to worker.

Male and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. As mentioned earlier (Kohout 1998: 520), direct comparison of the

syntypes of P. conops spinifera and P. continua hirsutula has shown them to

be very similar and undoubtedly representing a single species. They differ

from P. conops and P. continua by a distinctly wider pronotal dorsum and

rather abundant semierect to erect pilosity which is almost completely

lacking in the other two species. Polyrhachis conops spinifera and P.

continua hirsutula were described in the same year, however, Stitz's

description of spinifera was published on 30.x.1911, while Emery’s hirsutula

appeared two months later on 31.xii.1911 (Bolton 1995).

Polyrhachis tapini sp. n.

(Figs 46, 49-50)

Types. Holotype worker: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Central Distr., Tapini, 1000-1200

m, rf., viii.1962, ex nest in soil, R.W. Taylor acc. 2200. Paratypes: data as for

holotype (2 workers, 2 queens); NEW GUINEA, Morobe Distr., Herzog Mts., Wagau.

C. 4,000 ft, 4-17.1.1965; M.E. Bacchus, B.M. 1965-120; Stn. No. 137. Holotype, 1

paratype worker and 1 paratype queen in ANIC; 1 paratype worker and paratype

queen in QMBA; 1 paratype worker in BMNH.

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 11.39, 11.24-

11.89; HL 2.81, 2.81-2.90; HW 2.06, 1.96-2.15; CI 73, 70-74; SL 4.03, 3.93-

4.08; SI 196, 190-200; PW 1.90, 1.87-1.93; MTL 4.13, 4.03-4.33 (4

measured).

Anterior clypeal margin arcuate, medially truncate. Clypeus without distinct median

carina, very weakly sinuate in profile, with almost flat basal margin. Frontal triangle

distinct. Frontal carinae sinuate with strongly raised margins; central area relatively

narrow with weakly impressed frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes

subparallel, before rounding into mandibular bases; behind eyes sides with distinct

postocular carina extending towards occipital corners. Eyes convex; in full face view

clearly exceeding lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal dorsum with

relatively long, slender, anterolaterally directed, acute spines; lateral edges of spines

acute, merging posteriorly with narrowly upturned, smoothly rounded pronotal

margins. Promesonotal suture distinctly impressed laterally, rather flat medially;

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 43

mesonotal dorsum transverse with weakly sinuate, anteriorly raised lateral margins,

posteriorly rounding into medially flat metanotal groove. Propodeum with lateral

margins only weakly raised anteriorly, flat for most of their length and terminating in

poorly raised, blunt tuberculae; propodeal dorsum descending into declivity in weakly

curved, medially uninterrupted line. Petiole scale-like, distinctly slender in lateral

view, armed with two rather long and slender, posteriorly curved, acute spines with

inner margins forming *U'-shaped petiolar dorsum; lateral margin of petiole below

base of each spine with very short, acute tooth. Anterior face of first gastral segment

flat at base, widely rounding onto dorsum.

Mandibles finely, longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits towards

masticatory borders. Clypeus reticulate-punctate; sculpturation obliquely striate on

sides and mostly longitudinally striate on vertex and between frontal carinae and eyes.

Pronotal dorsum finely, longitudinally striate at base, with striae diverging anteriorly

towards bases of spines. Mesonotal and propodeal dorsa finely, rather regularly,

longitudinally striate, with propodeal declivity finely reticulate-punctate. Petiole

reticulate-punctate, with spines towards tips almost smooth. Gaster shagreened.

Mandibles along outer margin and towards masticatory borders with numerous

suberect, relatively long, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin with a few, rather long

setae medially and several shorter setae fringing margin laterally. Numerous,

semierect or erect, relatively long hairs rather abundant on clypeus and front of head;

numerous somewhat shorter hairs fringing outline of head in full face view; antennal

scapes with numerous, relatively long hairs along leading edge; hairs lacking on

dorsum of mesosoma and petiole. Legs, including coxae, with numerous, medium

length hairs along ventral margin. Gaster with numerous, medium length, posteriorly

directed hairs. Closely appressed, relatively sparse, silvery pubescence over most

body surfaces, except dorsum of mesosoma and petiole; pubescence denser with

distinct reddish tint on gastral dorsum.

Colour. Black; wide band along masticatory borders and apical funicular

segments reddish brown. Legs medium to dark reddish brown with

trochanters and apical tarsal segments a shade lighter. Gaster black or very

dark brown dorsally, apex reddish brown.

Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 12.10-13.15; HL 2.93-2.99; HW 2.18; CI 73-74;

SL 4.08-4.13; SI 187-189; PW 2.46-2.59; MTL 4.03-4.08 (2 measured).

Queen marginally larger than worker with usual characters identifying full sexuality,

including three ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings. Pronotal spines shorter.

Mesoscutum only marginally wider than long; lateral margins converging into

moderately rounded anterior margin; median line distinct; parapsides virtually flat;

mesoscutum in profile with widely rounded anterior face and virtually flat dorsum.

Mesoscutellum weakly convex, marginally elevated above dorsal plane of mesosoma.

Propodeum with lateral margins weakly raised anteriorly, terminating posteriorly in

short ridges; propodeal dorsum in lateral view descending into declivity in medially

unbroken curve. Petiole with dorsal spines distinctly shorter. Sculpturation on

mesoscutum with longitudinal striae curving anteriorly and medially towards median

line, with those on mesoscutellum weakly diverging posteriorly. Pilosity and

pubescence similar to that in worker, except numerous erect, medium length hairs

44 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

present on dorsum of mesosoma that are completely absent in worker. Colour schem&

very similar to worker.

Male. A single callow male present in the ANIC spirit collection (Bottle no,

39/4).

Immature stages unknown.

Etymology. Named after the type locality, Tapini village, nestled along the

southern slopes of the Owen Stanley Range in Papua.

Remarks. Polyrhachis tapini is a very characteristic and easily recognisable

species. It features virtually flat pronotal and mesonotal dorsa with lateral

margins that are rather abruptly and very narrowly (only about 0.1 mm)

upturned. The pronotal spines are long and slender with their tips weakly

downturned. The petiole has long and divergent dorsal spines and lateral

spines reduced to mere angles. The dorsa of the mesosoma and petiole are

completely hairless and with only very sparsely distributed, appressed

pubescence.

Concluding note

This paper is part of a wider study of the systematics and biology of

Polyrhachis ants. For a review of their nesting habits and socioecology see

Robson and Kohout (2007).

Acknowledgements

I am very grateful to the Australian Biological Resources Study for a grant

supporting my work on the systematics of Australian Polyrhachis ants. My

thanks are also due to the Harvard University grant committee for their

continuous support in awarding me three Ernst Mayr Grants. These allowed

me to study the Polyrhachis ants, not only in the Museum of Comparative

Zoology, Cambridge, but also in other American and European institutions. I

am very much indebted to Dr Steve O. Shattuck (ANIC), S. Ryder and N.

Dale-Skey (BMNH), Dr F. Koch (MNHU), Dr R. Poggi (MSNG), Dr A.G.

Radchenko (IZAS) and Dr B. Merz (MHNG) for loans of the types and other

material under their supervision. My special thanks go to Dr Steve Shattuck

and Natalie Barnett (both ANIC) for producing the digital images used for

illustrations. Finally, I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr Chris Burwell

(QMBA) for his support during preparation of this paper and for reading and

commenting on the draft manuscript.

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Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 45

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Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1): 47-52 47

POLYRHACHIS (MYRMOTHRINAX) NEPENTHICOLA, A NEW

SPECIES OF THE THRINAX-GROUP INHABITING PITCHER

PLANTS (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE: FORMICINAE)

RUDOLF J. KOHOUT

Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Old 4101

(Email: rudolf.kohout@qm.qld.gov.au)

Abstract

Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) nepenthicola, a new species of the thrinax species-group, is

described from Sarawak, Borneo. The characters distinguishing it from similar species of the

thrinax-group are provided and the species is illustrated. A preliminary note on its unusual

nesting habit is included.

Introduction

The subgenus Myrmothrinax was established by Forel (1915) as a subgenus

of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857, with Polyrhachis thrinax Roger, 1863 as the

type species. The first description was given by Emery (1925), who included

27 species and subspecific forms as its constituents. Both Emery (1925) and,

more recently, Dorow (1995) considered Myrmothrinax to be a relatively

small and homogenous group and did not subdivide it into species-groups.

However, as discovery of numerous new, mainly Southeast Asian species is

increasing, Kohout (2008) proposed two species-groups, based on the relative

length of the petiolar spines.

The aequalis-group includes species with the petiolar spines more-or-less

subequal or with the middle spine shorter than the lateral pair. The thrinax-

group includes species with the middle petiolar spine distinctly elongated.

Distribution of the subgenus Myrmothrinax extends from India, Sri Lanka

and Myanmar across Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Vietnam, and

southwards throughout Indonesia to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands

and northern Australia. The Myrmothrinax species are typical arboreal

nesters, with their nesting habit almost identical to the closely similar species

of the subgenus Myrmatopa Forel. They build their polydomous nests of silk

and vegetation debris between the leaves of trees and shrubs (Robson and

Kohout 2005, 2007) and in some localities ants of both subgenera were found

nesting together side by side (Kohout 1999). However, as the employment of

modern collecting methods, such as insecticidal fogging, has resulted in the

discovery of many new species, it also became apparent that, while the

Myrmatopa species seemingly prefer the rainforest canopy for their nesting

sites, the Myrmothrinax species are predominantly confined to the lower

arboreal zone.

While ant association with various plants is widely known, their interaction

with pitcher plants (Nepenthaceae) has been recorded on only a few

occasions. Many species of ants visit pitcher plants regularly to feed on the

extrafloral nectar; however, they also risk being digested in the pitfall traps.

48 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Only one species of ant, Camponotus (Colobopsis) schmitzi Stárcke, is so far

known to find a shelter and nesting space within the swollen and hollow

tendrils of Nephentes bicalcarata (Clarke and Kitching 1995, Thornham et

al. 2012). At the same time, these ants are able not only to move across the

slippery surface of the pitcher without being trapped, but also to swim in the

pitcher fluid, where they hunt and retrieve food from the pitcher (Clarke and

Kitching 1995). However, the nesting behaviour of Polyrhachis nepenthicola

sp. n., described below, is the only recorded case of an ant actually building

its nest within a pitcher of a Nepenthes plant (Grafe and Kohout in press).

Methods and abbreviations

Photographs of the ant specimens were taken with a digital camera attached

to a stereomicroscope and processed using Auto-Montage (Syncroscopy,

Division of Synoptics Ltd, USA) and Adobe Photoshop CS2 (Adobe Systems

Inc., USA). Images depicting the holotype were photographed by Dr Steve O.

Shattuck (ANIC). Photographs of living specimens, including their nest and

the pitcher plant Nepenthes stenophylla in their natural environment, were

taken by Dr T. Ulmar Grafe (UBDG).

Standard measurements and indices follow Kohout (2008): TL — Total length

(the necessarily composite measurement of the outstretched length of the

entire ant measured in profile); HL — Head length (the maximum measurable

length of the head in perfect full face view, measured from the anterior-most

point of the clypeal border or teeth to the posterior-most point of the occipital

margin); HW = Head width (width of the head in perfect full face view,

measured immediately in front of the eyes); CI = Cephalic index (HW x

100/HL); SL = Scape length (length of the antennal scape, excluding the

condyle); SI = Scape index (SL x 100/HW); PW = Pronotal width (greatest

width of the pronotal dorsum, measured behind the pronotal teeth); MTL =

Metathoracic tibial length (maximum measurable length of the tibia of the

hind leg). All measurements are in millimetres (mm) and were taken using a

Zeiss (Oberkochen) SR stereomicroscope at 20x and 32x magnifications with

an eyepiece graticule calibrated against a stage micrometer.

Institutions (with names of cooperating curators): ANIC — Australian

National Insect Collection, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, ACT, Australia

(Dr S.O. Shattuck); BMNH - The Natural History Museum, London, UK (S.

Ryder); MCZC — Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University,

Cambridge, MA, USA (Dr S.P. Cover); SMKS — Sarawak Museum,

Kuching, Sarawak; QMBA - Queensland Museum, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

(Dr C.J. Burwell); UBDG - University Brunei Darussalam, Gadong.

Systematics

Genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857

Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857: 58. Type species: Formica bihamata Drury, 1773, by

original designation.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 49

Subgenus Myrmothrinax Forel, 1915

Myrmothrinax Forel, 1915: 107 (as subgenus of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith). Type species:

Polyrhachis thrinax Roger, 1863, by original designation.

Myrmothrinax Forel; Emery, 1925: 182 (diagnosis of the subgenus).

Polyrhachis nepenthicola sp. n.

(Figs 1-8)

Types. Holotype worker: BORNEO, SARAWAK, Lawas, Paya Maga, 04°27’N,

115°33’E, 1810 m, 11.x.2010, T.U. Grafe (worker). Paratypes: data as for holotype,

20 workers, 1 queen, 8 males. Type distribution: Holotype, most paratype workers,

paratype queen and paratype males in QMBA; 2 paratypes each in ANIC, BMNH,

MCZC, SMKS, UBDG.

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 7.26, 6.85-

8.47; HL 1.78, 1.65-1.93; HW 1.59, 1.53-1.81; CI 89, 87-94; SL 2.07, 1.93-

2.18; SI 130, 120-135; PW 1.00, 0.94-1.15; MTL 2.50, 2.37-2.65 (1+12

measured).

Mandibles with 5 teeth. Anterior clypeal margin widely medially truncate

with truncate portion shallowly emarginate and flanked by blunt angles.

Clypeus with posteriorly raised median carina; straight in profile, posteriorly

rounding into moderately impressed basal margin. Frontal triangle distinct.

Frontal carinae sinuate with margins only weakly raised at midlength; central

area relatively wide with distinct frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of

eyes converging towards mandibular bases in weakly convex line; behind

eyes sides widely rounding into convex occipital margin. Eyes convex, in full

face view clearly breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking in holotype;

median ocellus indicated by shallow pit in some paratypes. Pronotal humeri

armed with bluntly terminated, laterally directed, spines, about as long as

their basal width; lateral pronotal margins rather blunt, becoming indistinct

before reaching promesonotal suture. Mesonotum with lateral margins

rounded anteriorly, somewhat raised and subparallel posteriorly towards

distinct metanotal groove. Propodeal dorsum only marginally longer than

wide, with rather blunt, subparallel, lateral margins, terminating posteriorly in

vertically elevated spines; propodeal declivity oblique, laterally expending

towards very conspicuous, rather large, propodeal spiracles. Petiole armed

with two short, tooth-like, lateral spines and long, acute, dorsoposteriorly

elevated median spine, weakly bent upwards from its midlength. Anterior

face of first gastral segment distinctly higher than full hight of petiole, widely

rounding onto gastral dorsum.

Mandibles very finely longitudinally striate with numerous piliferous pits;

sculpture distinctly finer towards masticatory borders. Clypeus very finely

reticulate-punctate with rest of head shagreened. Mesosoma and petiole,

including spines, distinctly reticulate-punctate, opaque. Gaster very finely

shagreened, polished.

50 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Figs 1-8. Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) nepenthicola sp. n. (1) head in full face view;

(2) petiole in frontal view; (3) dorsal view; (4) lateral view; (5) ant exiting pitcher

through a small hole and (6) foraging at the border between the waxy and secretory

zones of the pitcher; (7) nest inside the pitcher; (8) Nepenthes stenophylla at the study

site in northern Sarawak. Photographs 5-8 courtesy of T. Ulmar Grafe.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 51

Mandibular masticatory borders with numerous, semierect, golden hairs.

Clypeus with only few short golden setae along anterior margin and single,

medium length hair laterally. A few long, erect hairs on frontal coxae;

numerous long hairs lining margins of segments on gastral venter and around

apex. Closely appressed golden pubescence rather diluted on head and gaster;

it is almost completely absent from mesosoma and petiole.

Black or dark reddish-brown, with head, gaster and appendages a shade

lighter; funicular and tarsal segments progressively lighter towards apexes.

Mandibles along masticatory borders with narrow, light reddish-brown band.

Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 10.23; HL 2.25; HW 2.03; CI 90; SL 2.59; SI 127;

PW 1.65; MTL 3.18 (1 measured). Very similar to worker with usual

differences indicating caste, including three ocelli and complete thoracic

structure. Pronotal humeri produced into blunt, tooth-like spines; their outer

margins merging into rather blunt and short pronotal margins. Mesoscutum

virtually as wide as long, with lateral margins converging anteriorly and

forming moderately rounded anterior margin; median line only shallowly

impressed; parapsides weakly raised along their entire length. Mesoscutum in

profile with anterior margin rounded onto virtually flat dorsum.

Mesoscutellum convex, distinctly raised above dorsal plane of mesosoma.

Propodeal dorsum with lateral margins indistinct; propodeal spines shorter,

somewhat anteroposteriorly flattened. Propodeal spiracles similar, but larger,

than in worker. Petiole with lateral spines distinctly longer than in worker,

almost 2x as long as wide at base; median petiolar spine shorter than in

worker, with apex bluntly rounded. Head, mesosoma and petiole finely

reticulate-punctate, with anterior margin of mesoscutum medially smooth and

polished; gaster shagreened. Pubescence and colour virtually as in worker.

Males in QMBA spirit collection.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from a combination of the generic

name of the host pitcher plant, Nepenthes stenophyla, and the Latin suffix -

cola, meaning inhabitant.

Remarks. Polyrhachis nepenthicola stands closest to P. triaena Wheeler and

also described from Sarawak (Wheeler 1919), with both species sharing a

similar size (HL 1.65-1.93 in P. nepenthicola versus HL 1.68-1.78 in P.

triaena). However, both species differ in a number of other characters, with

P. nepenthicola featuring a distinctly wider head (CI 89-94), shorter antennal

scapes (SI 120-128), almost quadrate propodeal dorsum and the

conspicuously large propodeal spiracles. In contrast, the head in P. triaena is

narrower (CI 82-85), antennal scapes longer (SI 157-159), propodeal dorsum

almost 2x as long as wide and the propodeal spiracles relatively flat.

The nest of Polyrhachis nepenthicola was collected from the pitcher of

Nepenthes stenophylla (Fig. 8) growing alongside the road in secondary

vegetation of the sub-montane, mixed dipterocarp forest.

52 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

For detailed aspects of its biology (Figs 5-7) see Grafe and Kohout (in press).

Acknowledgements

I am very grateful to Assoc. Prof. Dr T. Ulmar Grafe, Department of Biology,

University Brunei Darussalam, for supplying the specimens of this new

species and for the information, including photographs, relating to its unique

nesting habit. I am much indebted to Dr Steve O. Shattuck (ANIC) for his

patience and care in preparation of the digital images used for the

illustrations. Finally, my sincere thanks go to Dr Geoff B. Monteith (QMBA)

for reading and commenting on a draft of the manuscript.

References

CLARKE, C. and KITCHING, R.L. 1995. Swimming ants and pitcher plants: a unique ant-plant

interaction from Borneo. Journal of Tropical Ecology 11: 589-602.

DOROW, W.H.O. 1995. Revision of the ant genus Polyrhachis Smith, 1857 (Hymenoptera:

Formicidae: Formicinae) on subgenus level with keys, checklist of species and bibliography.

Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg 185: 1-113.

EMERY, C. 1925. Hymenoptera, Fam, Formicidae, subfam. Formicinae. In: Genera Insectorum.

(Wytsman ed.) Fasc. 183. Bruxelles; 302 pp.

FOREL, A. 1915. Results of Dr. E. Mjóberg's Swedish scientific expeditions to Australia, 1910-

1913. 2. Ameisen. Arkiv for Zoologi 9(16): 1-119.

GRAFE, T.U. and KOHOUT, R.J. in press. A new case of ants inhabiting pitcher plants.

Ecotropica (2013).

KOHOUT, R.J. 1999. Australian Polyrhachis and their nesting habits (Formicidae: Formicinae).

Proceedings of the International Colloquia on Social Insects. V.E. Kypiatkov (Ed.). Russian

Language Section of the IUSSI. Socium. St Petersburg (1994), 3-4: 217-222.

KOHOUT, R.J. 2008. A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi, with descriptions of new

species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature

52(2): 255-317.

ROBSON, S.K.A. and KOHOUT, R.J. 2005. Evolution of nest-weaving behaviour in arboreal

nesting ants of the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Australian Journal

of Entomology 44(2): 164-169.

ROBSON, S.K.A. and KOHOUT, R.J. 2007. A review of the nesting habits and socioecology of

the ant genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith. Asian Myrmecology 1: 81-99.

ROGER, J. 1863. Die neu aufgeführten Gattungen und Arten meines Formiciden-

Verzeichnisses, nebst Ergänzung einiger früher gegebenen Beschreibungen. Berliner

Entomologische Zeitscherift 7 (Beilage): 1-65.

SMITH, FR. 1857. Catalogue of the hymenopterous insects collected at Sarawak, Borneo;

Mount Ophir, Malacca; and at Singapore, by A.R. Wallace. Journal of the Proceedings of the

Linnean Society of London, Zoology 2: 42-88.

THORNHAM, D.G., SMITH, J.M., GRAFE, T.U. and FEDERLE, W. 2012. Settting the trap:

cleaning behaviour of Camponotus schmitzi ants increases long-term capture efficiency of their

pitcher plant host, Nephentes bicalcarata. Functional Ecology 26: 11-19.

WHEELER, W.M. 1919. The ants of Borneo. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at

Harvard College 63(3): 43-147.

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1): 53-55 53

THRIOCERODES ANTHICIDES (NEWMAN), COMB. N.

(COLEOPTERA: CLERIDAE): AN AUSTRALIAN, NOT SOUTH

AFRICAN, SPECIES

JUSTIN S. BARTLETT

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Qld), Plant Biosecurity Science, Ecosciences

Precinct, GPO Box 267, Brisbane, Qld 4001 (Email: justin.bartlett@daff.qld.gov.au)

Abstract

Corynetes compactus Westwood is recognised as a junior synonym (syn. n.) of Pylus anthicides

Newman, which is transferred from the South African genus Thriocera Gorham to the endemic

Australian genus Thriocerodes Wolcott & Dybas, resulting in the combination Thriocerodes

anthicides (Newman), comb. n.

Introduction

For the past 135 years, the clerid beetle Pylus anthicides Newman has been

regarded as a South African species, with the original Australian type locality

considered an error. This is now known not to be the case.

Primary type specimens of Pylus anthicides Newman (Fig. 1) and Corynetes

compactus Westwood (Fig. 2), respectively held at the Natural History

Museum, London (BMNH) and the Oxford University Museum of Natural

History (OUMNH), plus reliably identified specimens of Globoclava

quadrimaculata (Chevrolat) (from BMNH: Fig. 3), were morphologically

examined using a Nikon SMZ-1500 stereo dissecting microscope.

Figs 1-3. (1) primary type of Pylus anthicides Newman from BMNH; (2) primary

type of Corynetes compactus Westwood from OUMNH; (3) Globoclava

quadrimaculata (Chevrolat), BMNH specimen from Malvern, South Africa.

54 Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

Taxonomy

Newman (1842) described Pylus anthicides Newman from Port Phillip,

Victoria (then part of New South Wales). Lacordaire's (1857) unjustified (see

Article 32.5.1 of ICZN 1999) emendation of the spelling of Newman's

species to ‘anthicoides’ was followed by Gemminger and Harold (1869),

Gorham (1878), Blackburn (1900), Lohde (1900) and Schenkling (1903,

1910). Gorham (1878), expressing doubt over the validity of the Australian

type locality of Newman's species, transferred Pylus ‘anthicoides’ to his new

genus Thriocera Gorham, while synonymising with it Pilus quadrimaculata

Chevrolat from South Africa. Schenkling (1903), in his treatment of world

clerid genera, followed Gorham, though with apparent reservation.

Corporaal's (1950) catalogue (using the correct spelling *anthicides")

reflected Gorham's doubt of the Australian type locality. More recently,

Opitz (2012) returned Pilus quadrimaculata to full species status (designating

it the type species of Globoclava Opitz), without commenting on the status of

Thriocera anthicides.

Examination of the primary type specimen of P. anthicides (in BMNH)

confirmed Opitz's removal of P. quadrimaculata from synonymy and

revealed that Newman's species belongs to the endemic Australian

tarsostenine genus Thriocerodes Wolcott & Dybas, which can be defined by

the following character states: eyes well separated and coarsely facetted;

terminal palpomeres securiform; procoxal cavities posteriorly open; elytra

compact, punctation lacking internal nodules; tibial spur formula 1-2-1, tarsal

pulvillar formula 3-3-3. Additionally, the type specimen of Corynetes

compactus Westwood, 1853 (in OUMNH) was studied and found to be a

junior synonym (syn. n.) of Thriocerodes anthicides (Newman, 1842), comb.

Thriocerodes anthicides is, so far, known only from the type locality of Port

Phillip (Melbourne), Victoria, plus recently identified material from South

Australia (SA: 35.608°S 138.261?E, Deep Creek NP, Boat Harbour turnoff,

12 Mar. 2011,Monteith and Turco. Barkspray on eucalypts. 18819.

Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra) and New South Wales

(NSW:31.737°S, 149.993?E, Coolah Tops NP, 8Feb. 2010.Monteith and

Turco. Barkspray on eucalypts, 19553, Queensland Museum, Brisbane). Both

recent specimens were collected by pyrethrum spraying of trunks of living

eucalypts. The specimen from Deep Creek National Park (Voucher No:

COL1686) has been submitted to a molecular phylogeny of Cleridae project

being undertaken by the author and collaborators in Australia and the United

States.

Correction to Opitz (2012)

The draft manuscript of Opitz's (2012) review of tarsostenine genera was

Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1) 55

submitted for peer review prior to the recognition that Pilus quadrimaculata

Chevrolat was not a synonym of Pylus anthicides Newman. Several

substitutions of the word ‘anthicides’ for ‘quadrimaculata’ were made

throughout the manuscript but the following was not amended prior to

publication: page 11, first line beneath the Figure 3 caption — ‘Globoclava

anthicides (Newman) (new combination)’, should read ‘Globoclava

quadrimaculata (Chevrolat) (new combination)’.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank Geoff Monteith and Federica Turco (Queensland Museum)

for passing on to me the specimens from Deep Creek and Coolah Tops

National Parks.

References

BLACKBURN, T. 1900. Further notes on Australian Coleoptera, with descriptions of new

genera and species. Part XXVII. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South

Australia 24: 113-169.

CORPORAAL, J.B. 1950. Pars 23 (Editio secunda), Cleridae. In: Hinks, W.D. (ed.),

Coleopterorum Catalogus Supplementa. W. Junk, The Hague.

GEMMINGER, M. and HAROLD, E. 1869. Familia XLIII, Cleridae. Pp 1722-1759, in:

Catalogus Coleopterorum hucusque descriptorum synonymicus et systematicus. E. Sumptu & H.

Gummi, Monachii.

GORHAM, H.S. 1878. Descriptions of new genera and species of Cleridae, with notes on the

genera and corrections of synonymy. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London

1878(2): 153-167.

ICZN. 1999. International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, 4th Edition. The International

Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, London. Online Edition, Attp://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted-

sites/iczn/code/ [accessed 25 June 2012].

LACORDAIRE, T. 1857. Famille XLI. Clérides. Pp 415-496, in: Histoire naturelle des insectes.

Genera des Coléoptéres: ou exposé méthodique et critique de tous les Genres proposés

jusque'ici dans cet ordre d'Insectes. Tome IV. Libraire Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris.

LOHDE, R. 1900. Cleridarum Catalogus. Entomologische Zeitschrift 61: 3-148.

NEWMAN, E. 1842. List of insects collected at Port Phillip, New South Wales, by Edmund

Thomas Higgins, Esq. The Entomologist 1(25): 401-405.

OPITZ, W. 2012. Classification, natural history, and evolution of Tarsosteninae (Coleoptera:

Cleridae) - Part I: Generic composition of the subfamily and key and phylogeny of Genera.

Psyche 2012: 1-35.

SCHENKLING, S. 1903. Coleoptera. Malacodermata. Fam. Cleridae. Genera Insectorum.

Fascicule 13. P. Wytsman, Brussels.

SCHENKLING, S. 1910. Pars 23, Cleridae. In: Schenkling, S. (ed.), Coleopterorum Catalogus.

W. Junk, Berlin.

: Australian Entomologist, 2013, 40 (1)

CORRIGENDA

Australian Entomologist, 2012, 39 (3): 161-177.

A REVIEW OF THE NEW GUINEAN GENUS PARAMECOCNEMIS

LIEFTINCK (ODONATA: PLATYCNEMIDIDAE), WITH THE

DESCRIPTION OF THREE NEW SPECIES

A.G. ORR, V.J. KALKMAN and S.J. RICHARDS

In the above recently published article two spelling errors of species group

names are noted and amended:

Paramecocnemis stillacruoris Lieftinck, 1956 (not stillacruroris). Note this

species was originally described as stilla-cruoris and has been amended

under requirements of the ICZN.

Paramecocnemis spinosa Orr, Kalkman & Richards, 2012 (under the gender

agreement requirement the adjective spinosus must take the feminine form.

Cnemis, and its compounds, are derived from the Greek noun xv, meaning

tibia, which is feminine).

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Dr Jan van Tol, president of the ICZN, for drawing our

attention to these lapses.

Australian Entomologist, 2012, 39 (3): 195-196.

A NOTE ON THE IDENTITY OF 'ACANTHONEVRA' INERMIS

HERING (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE: ACANTHONEVRINI)

DAVID L. HANCOCK

In the above article the generic name Lumirioxa was used in error for

Lenitovena. The correct combinations for the two species affected are

Lenitovena affluens (Hering) and Lenitovena ornatipennis (Hering).

Australian Entomologist, 2012, 39 (4): 281-292.

REVIEW OF AUSTRALIAN PHYLLODES IMPERIALIS DRUCE

(LEPIDOPTERA: EREBIDAE) WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW

SUBSPECIES FROM SUBTROPICAL AUSTRALIA

D.P.A. SANDS

In the above article a duplication of Figure 4 (underside of P. i. meyricki) was

inadvertently used in error for Figure 6 (P. i. imperialis).

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THE AUSTRALIAN

. Entomologist

Volume 40, Part 1, 20 February 2013

CONTENTS

BARTLETT, J.S.

Thriocerodes anthicides (Newman), comb. n. (Coleoptera: Cleridae): an Australian,

not South African, species

HALSEY, M.

Notes on the ecology, phenology and distribution of Pollanisus cyanotus (Meyrick, 1886)

(Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae: Procridinae: Artonini)

KOHOUT, RJ.

A review of the Polyrhachis continua species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg

(Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) with keys and descriptions of new species

KOHOUT, RJ.

Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) nepenthicola, a new species of the thrinax-group inhabiting

pitcher plants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae)

MEYER, C.E., WEIR, R.P. AND BROWN, S.S.

Some new and interesting butterfly (Lepidoptera) distribution and temporal records from

Queensland and northern Australia

CORRIGENDA

ISSN 1320 6133