Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) kershawi

Clark, J., 1930, New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species., Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 43, pp. 2-25 : 12-13

Polyrhachis (Hedomyrma) kershawi , n. sp. (Text-fig. 1, Nos. 10, 10a.)

Worker.-Length, 6.5-7 mm.

Thorax and node bright castaneous. Apical half of the spines and the middle of the dorsum of the pronotum blackish brown. Head, mandibles, antennae, tibia, tarsi and gaster black. Femora brown.

Subopaque. Head finely and densely reticulate-punctate. Pronotum finely striate longitudinally, the anterior portion and the whole of the mesonotum finely punotate. Epinotum and node smooth and shining. Gaster microscopically punctate.

Hair brownish, erect, long and pointed, very abundant on the.thorax and gaster. Pubescence yellow, long and adpressed on the thorax and gaster, where it forms a distinct covering, but not hiding the sculpture.

Head very slightly longer than broad, broader behind than in, front, the occipital border broadly convex, the sides feebly convex, the angles bluntly rounded. Frontal carinae erect, swerving behind. Clypeus carinate, bluntly produced in front. Scapes extending beyond the occipital border by more than half their length; first segment of the funiculus one-fourth longer than the second,. the others subequal. Mandibles armed with four to five strong sharp teeth. Thorax one and one-half times longer than broad. Pronotum much broader than long, the dorsum square, marginate on the sides, furnished on each side in front with a long sharp spine directed outward and slightly forward; in profile the spines are curved downward at the points, the dorsum convex. Mesonotum one-third broader than long, much broader in front than behind, sharply marginate on the sides, convex laterally in front, fiat behind. Epinotum broader than long, sharply marginate on the sides, furnished with two long sharp spines directed backward and slightly outward, the dorsum concave; in profile the spines horizontal, abruptly bent at their base, slightly higher than the dorsum, the declivity straight, at an obtuse angle, fully twice as long as the dorsum. Node one-fourth broader than long, the anterior border straight, the posterior convex, furnished with two long, slender spines directed outward, backward and slightly upward, much wider than the epinotum, almost encircling the gaster; in profile parallel, twice as high as long, the dorsum inclined behind, the spines raised toward the points. Gaster longer than broad. Legs long and slender.

Habitat.-North Queensland: Claudie River (J. A. Kershaw).

Near P. daemeli Forel , but readily distinguished by the longer spines on the pronotum, colour and pilosity.