Animals
Polyrhachis bihamata
Fish Hook Ant
Taxonomy
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Specific Epithetbihamata (Drury, 1773)
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Common Name
- Fish Hook Ant (English)
The taxonomic status is pending for approval
Description
Polyrhachis bihamata or commonly known as fish hook ant, is a large ant with 3 sets of sharp hooks coming out from their backs. It is a species that normally constructs its nests in soil, rotting woods or trees. The workers have a distinct postpetiole, with spines that point outwards and bent backwards. The curved spines can easily slice through skin and tend to hold on for a while. This species lives in large numbers in the nests they have built, and when attacked they swarm out and hook onto each other, making extracting an individual ant by a predator difficult. The hooking together behaviour is inadvertent but quite effective as a defence mechanism. This silky ant has been reported from the rainforest in South East Asia, including Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei, Philippines and Myanmar to Malaysia and south to Borneo, Sumatra, possibly Java and Bali.
Location
by State Location
- Negeri Sembilan 1
- Perak 1
Based on publications, specimens, and images
Biodiversity Experts
| Profile | |
|---|---|
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Ahmad Firdaus Mohd Salleh (Mr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
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Insects,
Medical, Entomology & Parasitology
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Aishah Hani Azil (Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
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Insects, Mosquitoes,
Biodiversity, Medical & Science
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Amal Ghazali Nasron (Mr.)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)
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Mammals, Insects,
Biodiversity, Conservation & Forest
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Azidah Abdul Aziz (Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
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Insects (Taxonomy),
Biodiversity
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Insects,
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Bakhtiar Effendi Yahya (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
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Insects (Taxonomy),
Taxonomy
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Chey Vun Khen (Dr.)
Sabah Forestry Department
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Insects,
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Insects,
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Fatimah Abang (Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
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Insects, Butterflies and Moths,
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Heo Chong Chin (Dr.)
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
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Insects,
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Homathevi Rahman (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
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Insects, Dragonflies and Damselflies,
Protected Areas
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Idris Bin Abd. Ghani (Prof.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
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Insects,
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Khaironizam Md Zain (Dr.)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
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Fishes, Insects,
Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems & Science
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Liew Thor Seng (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
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Insects, Molluscs,
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Maryati Mohamed (Prof. Datin Dr.)
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)
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Insects,
Biodiversity & Conservation
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Mohd Masri Bin Saranum (Mr.)
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI)
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Butterflies and Moths, Flies (Ecology), Insects,
Agriculture, Biodiversity, Biological Resource, Biosecurity, Ecosystems, Entomology, Invasive Alien Species, Microorganism, Pest & Research and Development (R&D)
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Mohd Sofian Azirun (Prof. Dato' Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
|
Insects (Ecology),
Biodiversity & Science
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Nada Badruddin (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
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Insects (Ecology),
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Nivaarani Arumugam (Ms.)
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)
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Insects,
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Noor Azrizal Bin Abdul Wahid (Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
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Insects,
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Norela Sulaiman (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
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Insects (Taxonomy),
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Nur Zati Akma Mustafa (Mrs.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Insects (Ecology),
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Nurul Ashikin Abdullah (Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
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Insects, Ants,
Biodiversity
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Ong Su Ping (Ms.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Insects (Ecology),
|
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Phon Chooi Khim (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Insects (Ecology),
|
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Raja Muhammad Zuha (Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Insects,
Biodiversity, Education, Taxonomy & Science
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Rosli Hashim (Prof. Dr.)
University of Malaya (UM)
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Birds (Ecology), Mammals (Ecology), Spiders, Insects,
Biodiversity & Protected Areas
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Insects,
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Shawn Cheng (Dr.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
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Insects,
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Suhaila Abd Hamid (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
|
Insects, Insects (Taxonomy), Insects (Ecology),
Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystems & Water
|
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Sze Huei Yek (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
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Ants, Insects, Mosquitoes,
Biodiversity, Ecology, Entomology & Evolution
|
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Tan Li Peng (Dr.)
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)
|
Arachnids, Insects,
Agriculture, Biodiversity & Forest
|
|
Veronica Khoo Swee Imm (Ms.)
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)
|
Insects (Taxonomy),
|
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Wahizatul Afzan Azmi (Assoc. Prof.)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
|
Insects (Ecology),
Biodiversity
|
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Wee Suk Ling (Assoc. Prof. Dr.)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
|
Insects (Ecology),
|
PM - Peninsular Malaysia; SBH - Sabah; SWK - Sarawak; SEA - Southeast Asia; W - World;
References
Journal
- Idris, A.B. SERANGGA, Volume 16, Issue 1, p. 105, 2011
Tool Kit
- Chung, A.Y.C. & Momin, B. (2008). Insect diversity in enhancing nature tourism, with reference to Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah. Poster presented at the 15th Malaysian Forestry Conference at Kuching, Sarawak. 20-24 October, 2008
Acknowledgements :- Ms. Amirah Hasanah Binti Mazlan, Ms. Farhah Zahirah Binti Zuhaimi, Ms. Mira Farzana Binti Mohamad Mokhtar, Ms. Norazah Binti Norddin, Mr. Tan Kok Kiat & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin
Photo credit :- USM
Species Citation :- Polyrhachis bihamata. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Accessed via https://www.mybis.gov.my/sp/51511. [Retrieved 20 April 2024].
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