Polyrhachis gagates F. Smith

Type location South Africa (Polyrhachis Gagates, F. Smith, 1858b: 71, illustrated, worker; Forel, 1886f: 194, queen) Port Natal - see below
junior synonyms
clariseta (Polyrhachis nigriseta var. clariseta nov., Santschi, 1910c: 400, worker) from Congo, Mandouga, Weiss - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0912120
congolensis ( Polyrhachis gagates Sm. var. congolensis nov., Santschi, 1910c: 399, worker) from Congo, Mandouga, Weiss - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0912121
nigriseta (Polyrhachis nigriseta n. sp., Santschi, 1910c: 399, worker) from Congo, Mindouli, Weiss - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0912122
indefinata (Polyrhachis gagates Sm. r. indefinita n. stirps, Forel, 1913b: 349, worker) from Zaïre, Sankisia, Katanga - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0905626
obsidiana (Polyrhachis (myrma) gagates F. Sm. subsp. obsidiana n., Emery, 1921e: 21, worker) from Gabon - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0905627
unavailable name acheron (Polyrhachis schistacea race indefinita var. acheron, Arnold, 1924: 746, worker) from Zimbabwe - see http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0903452
Revised Bolton (1973b: 305, not illustrated), also see Bolton, 1995) .

F Smith's (1858b) description is at . Forel 1879a) gave a full description, this is at . Arnold (1924) gave an illustrated translation, this, with his description of acheron is at . Santschi's (1910c) descriptions of congolensis (as a gagates variety) and nigriseta, with clariseta as a variety, are at . Forel's (1913b) description of indefinita is at . Emery's (1921e) description of obsidiana is at .

Bolton's modern description (1973b) is at .

WORKER - TL 11.3-13.2 mm, HL 2.66-3.03, HW 2.04-2.40, SL 3.34-3.56, PW 1.59-1.74
Variable species, separable from the other large species by a relative lack of erect hairs - on dorsal alitrunk only on pronotum; and gaster highly polished. Colour black, head and alitrunk dull or shining, gaster always highly polished; no more than very fine pubescence.

Ground nesting species of dryish savannah and scrub, whose nesting habit was illustrated by Wheeler (1922), see right and "click" for enlarged view.

Forel (1911f) found specimens of congolensis in the Congo Museum from Zaïre, Congo da Lemba, by Mayné. It is a widespread and very plastic species, found through east and southern Africa.

The photomontage of the holotype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0903451.

The photomontage of a worker from Tanzania is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0227564.