Polyrhachis khepra

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Polyrhachis khepra
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Formicinae
Tribe: Camponotini
Genus: Polyrhachis
Subgenus: Myrma
Species group: revoili
Species: P. khepra
Binomial name
Polyrhachis khepra
Bolton, 1973

Polyrhachis khepra casent0250036 p 1 high.jpg

Polyrhachis khepra casent0250036 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Polyrhachis khepra.


A member of the Polyrhachis revoili species-group.

Bolton (1973) - This small species is related to Polyrhachis otleti and Polyrhachis regesa, from which it may be distinguished by the very reduced sculpturation, the lack of sutures upon the dorsum of the alitrunk and the lack of propodeal armament. The abundant long hairs are similar to those of Polyrhachis lanuginosa, as is the overall body shape, but in lanuginosa the anterior clypeal margin is arcuate and entire, without a truncated lobe, and the dorsum of the alitrunk is rugose everywhere.

Keys including this Species


Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Congo, Ghana (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps


Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb






  • khepra. Polyrhachis khepra Bolton, 1973b: 334, figs. 51, 57 (w.) GHANA.




Holotype. TL 5.6, HL 1.26, HW 1.00, CI 79, SL 1.44, SI 144, PW 0.89, MTL 1.34.

The single paratype worker as the holotype but smaller; TL 5.2, HL 1.20, HW 0.96, CI 80, SL 1.38, SI 148, PW 0.85, MTL 1.26.

Mandibles with five teeth; anterior clypeal margin with a shallow, truncated rectangular lobe which is difficult to see because of the abundant hairs. Eyes convex; the sides of the head in front of the eyes weakly convex and somewhat convergent; behind the eyes the sides rounding into the evenly convex occipital margin. Alitrunk not marginate, the dorsal surface transversely and longitudinally convex. Dorsum of alitrunk smooth, without a trace of sutures. Pronotum armed with a pair of minute teeth; propodeum unarmed, the dorsum rounding into the sloping and shallowly concave declivity. Petiole with a narrow, longitudinal, keel-like ventral process. Petiole armed above with a pair of dorsal spines and these are subtended by a pair of small lateral teeth. Anterior face of first gastral segment not concave.

Entirety of head, body and appendages densely clothed with long, erect, fine hairs, which are either curved or sinuate and are yellowish in colour. Pubescence long, grey and sparse, most abundant on the sides of the alitrunk and on the appendages.

Clypeus unsculptured. Dorsum of head finely and densely rugose longitudinally, distinctly reticulate-rugose in the space separating the eye from the frontal carina on each side. Dorsum of pronotum and propodeum unsculptured apart from the pits from which hairs arise, but the mesonotum with a few small, scattered, almost effaced longitudinal rugulae. Laterally the alitrunk with some fine reticulate-rugulation which is more or less confined to the lower halves of the mesopleuron and the sides of the pronotum. Anterior surface of petiole roughened, the sculpturation more or less concealed by the pubescence; the posterior face rugose. Gaster sculptured as propodeum but also with traces of a fine superficial reticulation, almost effaced. Colour black, the alitrunk and gaster polished, the head somewhat more dull. Femora black, tibiae and tarsi brown. Antennal funiculae yellow-brown, especially towards the apex.

Type Material

Holotype worker, GHANA: Eastern Region, Kibi, 24.iii.1970 (P. M. Room) (The Natural History Museum).

Paratype worker, same data as holotype (BMNH).