Polyrhachis spinicola Forel
Type location Mozambique
(Polyrhachis spinicola n.
spec., Forel, 1894b: 70, worker & queen), collected at Delagoa, by
Junod - see below
junior synonym gallicola (Polyrhachis cubaensis Mayr r. gallicola
n. stirps,
Forel, 1894b: 71, worker and queen) from Mozambique, in a stalk gall by
Dr Liengme - see below
worker and queen only known (Bolton, 1973b: 329, not
illustrated; also Bolton, 1995) .
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Forel's (1894b)
description is at , with his description of
gallicola
at . Arnold (1924: 751) gave an illustrated
translation; this is at . Bolton's modern
description (1973b) is at .
WORKER - TL 6.1-7.0 mm, HL 1.62-1.78, HW 1.33-1.48, SL
1.70-1.78, PW 1.11-1.24
Distinguished from cubaensis as transverse ridge between
propodeal spines has no medial tooth or tubercle; propodeal spines
outcurved and directed posterolaterally. Colour black, appendages
red-brown or yellow-brown.
Collected from Acacia thorns at Delagoa by Herr
Junod;
also from Muculla, East Africa, by Dr Junod.
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The
photomontage of the type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0910952
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The
photomontage of the gallicola type worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0910946
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Oxford University Museum
specimens
Polyrhachis spinicola
B Taylor det.
Queen
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Tanzania
G C McGavin
OUMNH-2005-030
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26.iii.1996
Mkomazi
Ibaya Camp
03°58'S 037°48'E
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At light
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1
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The photomontage is of a queen from Tanzania, Mkomazi
NP; collector G McGavin. When I first posted this image in 2007,
I felt this was a somewhat speculative identification. Compared with
what
appears to be a queen from the type collection (below) this is larger
and has quite distinctive longitudinal striations on the head which is
not the case with the type queen or the workes above. Both the
queens, however, have all dark legs and a generally similar morphology.
Thus, I am leaving this under spinicola.
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The
photomontage of a queen, probably from the type collection is collated
from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0217803
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