The Ants of Africa
Genus Polyrhachis
Polyrhachis sulcata André

Polyrhachis sulcata André

return to key {link to the Hymenoptera Name Server} Type location Gabon (Polyrhachis sulcata nov. sp., André, 1895a: 1, queen; Bolton, 1973b: 322, worker) collected by Albert Mocquerys, in the Ogooué Delta (not Brazzaville, as cited by Bolton, 1973b) - type queen see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0913675
Queen and worker known .


{Polyrhachis sulcata}André's (1895a) description of the queen is at {original description}. Bolton's modern description (1973b) is at {original description}.

WORKER - TL 7.8-9.2 mm; unique sculpturation of very deep regularly spaced striae, areas between them strongly convex so as to give a ploughed appearance. Off-white to yellowish white erect hairs present on all surfaces of the body and appendages. Little pubescence. Colour black with apices of appendages lighter, often yellow or dull yellow-brown (Bolton, 1973b, illustrated, dorsal view of full body, alitrunk and petiole profile, anterior petiole).

Wheeler (1922) listed it from Cameroun (by H. Brauns).

Others from Ghana, at Kade and Bunso, by pkd (D. Leston) (Bolton, 1973b). Purely speculatively, this could be the species named as Polyrhachis species near militaris by Majer (1976b), with four workers in a single sample at Kade. It is pictured in Hölldobler & Wilson (1990, page 140; but the labelling is transposed between the two species of Polyrhachis, the lower being sulcata).

Rigato (2016) added: EQUATORIAL GUINEA, Bioko, Moka, 1300 m, 3°21’36” N 8°39’49”E, 1–11.x.1998 at lights (D. Ubick, D.K. Dabney, R.C. Drewes, J.V. Vindum, L. Henwood, R.W. Tomos, M. Boko, M.P. Ndung) (3 g, CAS).


Polyrhachis sulcataThe photomontage of a worker from Ghana (listed by Bolton, 1973b) is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=0906821.

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