A review of the Polyrhachis ants of Sulawesi with keys and description of new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae)

Eighty-four species of the ant genus Polyrhachis are listed from Sulawesi, including twenty-five described as new: P. aberrans, P. arborea, P. bosi, P. brachyspina, P. brendelli, P. browni, P. chaita, P. cognata, P. deceptor, P. festina, P. gobini, P. hilaris, P. hispida, P. imitator, P. incognita, P. kazuoi, P. manni, P. masaokai, P. mellita, P. neglecta, P. ogatai, P. salebrosa, P. storki, P. stricta and P. sulawesiensis. Polyrhachis fornicata Emery is re-described and the worker of P. trispinosa Fr. Smith, a species known only from the queen caste, is described. Five former subspecies, P. aculeata cybele Wheeler, P. aculeata gibbosa Forel, P. fruhstorferi varicolor Viehmeyer , P. rastellata pagana Santschi and P. zopyra edentula Emery, are raised to species. Polyrhachis spinosa Mayr synonymised earlier with P. bubastes Fr. Smith is reinstated as a valid species. Polyrhachis tricuspis André is considered a senior synonym of P. ternatae Karawajew. Polyrhachis arcuata (Le Guillou) and P. muelleri Forel are listed from Sulawesi for the first time. Polyrhachis javanica Mayr, previously recorded from Sulawesi, is considered not to occur there. Four new species-groups are proposed: the P. vestita-group within the subgenus Myrma Billberg, the P. flavicornis-group within the subgenus Myrmatopa Forel and the P. aequalis- and P. thrinax-groups within the subgenus Myrmothrinax Forel. All new and some previously described species are illustrated. Polyrhachis, Sulawesi, Project Wallace, new species, synonymy.