Polyrhachis

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Hymenopterida
Ordo: Hymenoptera
Subordo: Apocrita
Superfamilia: Formicoidea

Familia: Formicidae
Subfamilia: Formicinae
Tribus: Camponotini
Genus: Polyrhachis
Subgenera (7): Campomyrma – Hirtomyrma – Myrma – Myrmatopa – Myrmhopla – Myrmothrinax – Polyrhachis
Overview of species (477)

P. abnormis – P. abrupta – P. aculeata – P. aedipus – P. aenescens – P. aerope – P. agesilas – P. albertisi – P. alexandri – P. alexisi – P. alluaudi – P. alphea – P. alphena – P. amana – P. ammon – P. ammonoeides – P. andrei – P. andromache – P. angusta – P. annae – P. antennata – P. antoniae – P. appendiculata – P. arachne – P. arcuata – P. argenteosignata – P. argentosa – P. armata – P. arnoldi – P. asomaningi – P. aspasia – P. atossa – P. atropos – P. atrovirens – P. aurea – P. aureovestita – P. auriformis – P. aurita – P. australis – P. bakeri – P. bamaga – P. banghaasi – P. barretti – P. basirufa – P. batesi – P. beauforti – P. beccarii – P. bedoti – P. bellicosa – P. bicolor – P. bihamata – P. binghamii – P. biroi – P. bouvieri – P. braxa – P. bubala – P. bubastes – P. bugnioni – P. burmanensis – P. caeciliae – P. calliope – P. calypso – P. carbonaria – P. carinata – P. castaneiventris – P. caulomma – P. cedarensis – P. cephalotes – P. ceramensis – P. chalybea – P. charaxa – P. chartifex – P. cheesmanae – P. cingula – P. clarkei – P. cleopatra – P. cleophanes – P. clio – P. clotho – P. coerulescens – P. compressicornis – P. concava – P. conops – P. consimilis – P. constricta – P. constructor – P. contemta – P. continua – P. convexa – P. cornuta – P. coronata – P. craddocki – P. crassispinosa – P. crawleyi – P. creusa – P. croceiventris – P. cryptoceroides – P. cubaensis – P. cupreata – P. curta – P. cyaniventris – P. cyrtomyrmoides – P. cyrus – P. daemeli – P. dahlii – P. daphne – P. davydovi – P. debilis – P. decellei – P. decemdentata – P. delicata – P. demangei – P. dentata – P. denticulata – P. derecyna – P. diana – P. diaphanta – P. diotima – P. distincta – P. dives – P. doddi – P. dohrni – P. dolichocephala – P. dolomedes – P. dorsorugosa – P. durbanensis – P. durvillei – P. edwardi – P. elii – P. emeryana – P. emmae – P. equina – P. erato – P. eremita – P. erosispina – P. esarata – P. escherichi – P. etheli – P. eudora – P. euryala – P. eurynota – P. euterpe – P. exarata – P. excellens – P. excisa – P. exercita – P. exotica – P. femorata – P. fervens – P. fissa – P. flavibasis – P. flavicornis – P. flavoflagellata – P. follicula – P. foreli – P. fornicata – P. fortis – P. frauenfeldi – P. fruhstorferi – P. fulgens – P. furcata – P. furcula – P. fuscipes – P. gab – P. gagates – P. gamaii – P. geminata – P. geometrica – P. gestroi – P. gibba – P. glabrinota – P. glykera – P. gracilior – P. grandis – P. gravis – P. greensladei – P. gribodoi – P. guerini – P. halidayi – P. hastata – P. hauxwelli – P. hector – P. heinlethii – P. hemiopticoides – P. hera – P. hermione – P. hexacantha – P. hippomanes – P. hirsuta – P. hirta – P. hodgsoni – P. hookeri – P. horacei – P. horni – P. hostilis – P. hungi – P. ignota – P. illaudata – P. inclusa – P. inconspicua – P. indificans – P. inermis – P. insularis – P. inusitata – P. io – P. isacantha – P. ithona – P. jacksoniana – P. jacobsoni – P. jerdonii – P. jianghuaensis – P. jurii – P. kaipi – P. karawaiewi – P. keratifera – P. khepra – P. labella – P. laboriosa – P. lachesis – P. laciniata – P. lacteipennis – P. laevigata – P. laevissima – P. lama – P. lamellidens – P. laminata – P. lanuginosa – P. lata – P. latharis – P. latinota – P. latispina – P. latona – P. latreillei – P. lauta – P. leae – P. leonidas – P. leopoldi – P. lestoni – P. levior – P. lilianae – P. limbata – P. limitis – P. linae – P. lombokensis – P. longipes – P. loriai – P. loweryi – P. lownei – P. lucens – P. luctuosa – P. lugens – P. lycidas – P. lydiae – P. machaon – P. mackayi – P. macropa – P. maculata – P. magnifica – P. malaensis – P. marginata – P. medusa – P. melpomene – P. menelas – P. menozzii – P. metella – P. micans – P. militaris – P. mindanaensis – P. mitrata – P. mjobergi – P. modesta – P. moeschi – P. moesta – P. mondoi – P. monista – P. montana – P. mucronata – P. muelleri – P. murina – P. mystica – P. neptunus – P. nigra – P. nigrescens – P. nigriceps – P. nigrita – P. nigropilosa – P. nitens – P. nitida – P. nofra – P. nudata – P. numeria – P. obscura – P. obtusa – P. ochracea – P. oedacantha – P. olena – P. olybria – P. omyrmex – P. opalescens – P. ops – P. ornata – P. orpheus – P. orsylla – P. osae – P. osiris – P. otleti – P. pallescens – P. pallipes – P. parabiotica – P. paracamponota – P. paromala – P. patiens – P. paxilla – P. pellita – P. penelope – P. peregrina – P. personata – P. phalerata – P. phidias – P. philippinensis – P. phryne – P. piliventris – P. pilosa – P. plato – P. platynota – P. platyomma – P. polymnia – P. porcata – P. pressa – P. prometheus – P. proxima – P. pruinosa – P. pseudothrinax – P. pubescens – P. punctata – P. punctillata – P. punctiventris – P. pyrgops – P. pyrrhus – P. queenslandica – P. ralumensis – P. rastellata – P. reclinata – P. regesa – P. regularis – P. relucens – P. rere – P. restituta – P. retrorsa – P. revoili – P. rhea – P. ridleyi – P. rixosa – P. rossi – P. rotumana – P. rotundiceps – P. rowlandi – P. rubigastrica – P. rubiginosa – P. ruficornis – P. rufifemur – P. rufipalpis – P. rufipes – P. rufofemorata – P. rugifrons – P. rupicapra – P. rustica – P. saevissima – P. saïgonensis – P. salomo – P. santschii – P. sappho – P. scabra – P. scapulata – P. schang – P. schenckii – P. schistacea – P. schizospina – P. schlueteri – P. schoopae – P. schwiedlandi – P. scissa – P. sculpta – P. sculpturata – P. scutulata – P. semiaurata – P. semiobscura – P. semipolita – P. senilis – P. sericata – P. sericeopubescens – P. sexspinosa – P. sidnica – P. similis – P. simillima – P. smithi – P. sokolova – P. solivaga – P. solmsi – P. sophocles – P. sparaxes – P. spengeli – P. spinicola – P. spitteleri – P. splendens – P. stigmatifera – P. striata – P. strictifrons – P. stylifera – P. subaenescens – P. subcyanea – P. subfossa – P. subfossoides – P. subpilosa – P. subtridens – P. sulcata – P. sumatrensis – P. sylvicola – P. tambourinensis – P. taylori – P. templi – P. ternatae – P. terpsichore – P. textor – P. thais – P. thompsoni – P. thrinax – P. thusnelda – P. tibialis – P. townsvillei – P. tragos – P. transiens – P. trapezoidea – P. triaena – P. tricuspis – P. trina – P. trispinosa – P. tristis – P. trophima – P. tschu – P. tubericeps – P. tubifera – P. tubifex – P. turneri – P. tyrannica – P. ugiensis – P. ulysses – P. unicuspis – P. urania – P. venus – P. vermiculosa – P. verticalis – P. vestita – P. viehmeyeri – P. vigilans – P. villipes – P. villosa – P. vindex – P. violaceonigra – P. viscosa – P. vitalisi – P. volkarti – P. wagneri – P. wallacei – P. weissi – P. wellmani – P. wheeleri – P. wolfi – P. wroughtonii – P. xanthippe – P. xiphias – P. yarrabahensis – P. yerburyi – P. yorkana – P. ypsilon – P. zimmerae – P. zopyra

[Source: Catalogue of Life: 2013 Annual Checklist]

Add (7): P. acuminata – P. breviorspinosa – P. luteogaster – P. nepenthicola – P. schellerichae – P. smithersi – P. viola – ...

Add (10): P. brevipilosa – P. doudou – P. dubia – P. fisheri – P. gibbula – P. longiseta – P. luteipes – P. omissa – P. submarginata – P. terminata –
Name

Polyrhachis

Primary references

Shuckard 1840 in Swainson & Shuckard, Hist. Ins., 172; Smith [1857], J. Proc. Linn. Soc. London, Zool., 2, 1858, 58.

References

Kohout, R.J. 2012: A review of the Australian Polyrhachis ants of the subgenera Myrma Billberg, Myrmatopa Forel, Myrmothrinax Forel and Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature 56(1): 25–59. full article (PDF) Reference page.
Kohout, R.J. 2013: A review of the Polyrhachis continua species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) with keys and descriptions of new species. Australian entomologist 40(1): 13–46. [not seen] Reference page.
Kohout, R.J. 2013: Polyrhachis (Myrmothrinax) nepenthicola, a new species of the thrinax-group inhabiting pitcher plants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Australian entomologist 40(1): 47–52. [not seen] Reference page.
Kohout, R.J. 2013: A review of the Polyrhachis aculeata species-group of the subgenus Myrma Billberg (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae), with keys and descriptions of new species. Australian entomologist 40(3): 137–171. [Not seen] Reference page.
Kohout, R.J. 2013: A review of the Polyrhachis gravis and micans species-groups of the subgenus Campomyrma Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature 56(2): 92–117. Full article (PDF) Reference page.
Kohout, R.J. 2013: Revision of Polyrhachis (Hagiomyrma) Wheeler, 1911 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature 56(2): 487–577. Full article (PDF) Reference page.
Kohout, R.J. 2013: A review of the Polyrhachis xiphias species-group of the subgenus Campomyrma Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae). Asian myrmecology 5: 21–27. Abstract and full article (PDF) Reference page.
Rigato, F. 2016. The ant genus Polyrhachis F. Smith in sub-Saharan Africa, with descriptions of ten new species. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 4088(1): 1–50. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4088.1.1.Reference page.

Vernacular names
עברית: נמלה אורגת
日本語: トゲアリ属

Polyrhachis is a genus of formicine ants found in the Old World with over 600 species.[2] The genus is yet to be comprehensively resolved and contains many varied species including nest-weavers (e.g. Polyrhachis dives), swimming workers (e.g. Polyrhachis sokolova), soil (e.g. Polyrhachis proxima) and tree-dwellers (e.g. Polyrhachis bicolor).

General morphology

Size: Workers range in size approx 5-10mm in length. Eyes developed, no ocelli. Antennae have 12-segments. Antennal insertions situated far from posterior margin of clypeus. Mesosoma of most species have spines on one or more of its pronotal, mesonotal or propodeal components. Petiole armed with spines or teeth. First gastral tergite well developed, longer in dorsal view than exposed parts of the following terga together. Opening at gastral apex for release of venom lacking a radial fringe of hairs.[3]
Ecology

Polyrhachis species include an array of nesting types ranging from terrestrial, soil based nests to arboreal nests. As a result, the nest architectures also vary with some species displaying a high level of complexity to nest building, utilising larval silk to weave nest materials together. Such nest weaving is more commonly associated (and indeed more complex) in ants of the genus Oecophylla.

Polyrhachis do not have a stinger but an acidipore that can spray formic acid. When attacking, this is often sprayed in combination with biting thus making the acid more effective against the subject of the attack. Polyrhachis that do not possess a metapleural gland seem to utilise the antibiotic properties of their formic acid and when it cannot be used, ants are more likely to succumb to parasite infection [4] Some species are social parasites; Polyrachis lemalidens is a good example. They live in the Korean Peninsula, China and other parts of northeastern Asia. Their nuptial flight occurs during late September to late November depending on the climate. After flight queen dealates search for host colonies. Usually Camponotus japonicus is the host but especially in Korea, their main host is Camponotus atrox. Korean antkeepers say that they even take on to Formica japonica and Camponotus quadrinotatus. Once they find a host colony, they attack small workers hanging out and 'copying' their pheromones. After doing that multiple times to multiple ants, they sneak into the nest and keep 'copying.' Then whether they hibernate or not, they eventually go to the Host Queen's chamber. Then they become tiny vampires, literally. They take onto the queen, bites its neck subduing it, sucks blood, 'Copy' pheromone. And eventually and literally cuts the neck of the host queen. This process usually lasts for 2–4 days but can last over 2 weeks. After that is pretty much same to other social parasites.
Selected species

Polyrhachis ammon (NSW)
Polyrhachis beccari
Polyrhachis bihamata
Polyrhachis bugnioni
Polyrhachis convexa
Polyrhachis curvispina
Polyrhachis dives
Polyrhachis exercita
Polyrhachis gibbosa
Polyrhachis gracilior
Polyrhachis hagiomyrma
Polyrhachis hippomanes
Polyrhachis horni
Polyrhachis illaudata
Polyrhachis jerdonii
Polyrhachis lamellidens
Polyrhachis nigra
Polyrhachis punctillata
Polyrhachis rastellata
Polyrhachis rupicapra
Polyrhachis scissa
Polyrhachis semiinermis
Polyrhachis sokolova
Polyrhachis sophocles
Polyrhachis thrinax
Polyrhachis tibialis
Polyrhachis xanthippe
Polyrhachis yerburyi

References

Bolton, B. (2014). "Polyrhachis". AntCat. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
"Genus: Polyrhachis". antweb.org. AntWeb. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
Hung, ACF (1967). "A Revision of the Ant Genus: Polyrhachis at the Subgeneric Level (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 93 (4): 395–422.
Graystock, Peter; Hughes, William O. H. (2011). "Disease resistance in a weaver ant, Polyrhachis dives, and the role of antibiotic-producing glands". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 65 (12): 2319–2327. doi:10.1007/s00265-011-1242-y. S2CID 23234351.