Strumigenys diabola

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Strumigenys diabola
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species: S. diabola
Binomial name
Strumigenys diabola
Bolton, 2000

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Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Strumigenys diabola.

Identification

Bolton (2000) – A member of the cordovensis complex in the Strumigenys mandibularis-group. Closely related to Strumigenys cordovensis but with enormously elongated mandibles, a longer narrower petiole node and smaller femoral gland bullae.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 4.088888889° to -2.633°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Explore-icon.png Explore Overview of Strumigenys biology 
Strumigenys were once thought to be rare. The development and increased use of litter sampling methods has led to the discovery of a tremendous diversity of species. Many species are specialized predators (e.g. see Strumigenys membranifera and Strumigenys louisianae). Collembola (springtails) and other tiny soil arthropods are typically favored prey. Species with long linear mandibles employ trap-jaws to sieze their stalked prey (see Dacetine trap-jaws). Larvae feed directly on insect prey brought to them by workers. Trophallaxis is rarely practiced. Most species live in the soil, leaf litter, decaying wood or opportunistically move into inhabitable cavities on or under the soil. Colonies are small, typically less than 100 individuals but in some species many hundreds. Moist warm habitats and micro-habitats are preferred. A few better known tramp and otherwise widely ranging species tolerate drier conditions. Foraging is often in the leaf litter and humus. Workers of many species rarely venture above ground or into exposed, open areas. Individuals are typically small, slow moving and cryptic in coloration. When disturbed individuals freeze and remain motionless. Males are not known for a large majority of species.

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • diabola. Strumigenys diabola Bolton, 2000: 533, fig. 316 (w.) BRAZIL.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Brazil: Amazonas, Igarape Marianil, at R. Branco Rd, km. 5, ca 24 km. NE of Manaus, 22.viii.1962 (W. L. Brown) (Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo).

Paratypes. 1 worker, Brazil: Amazonas, Manaus, Colosso, 11.v.1994, #764 (R. Didham); 1 worker, Amazonas, Manaus, ZF2, 2°38'S, 60°09'W, 29.vii.1997, 02, T34; 0027631 (G. Cabini, J. M. Vilhena & H. Vasconcelos (The Natural History Museum, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia). Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 4.2, HL 0.88, HW 0.69, CI 78, ML 1.20, MI 136, SL 0.72, SI 104, PW 0.39, AL 0.83. Characters of cordovensis-complex. Distal preapical tooth very long and narrowly spiniform, much closer to apicodorsal tooth than to proximal preapical tooth. With mandible in profile distal preapical tooth strongly elevated; shaft of mandible distinctly upcurved from close to midlength to level of distal preapical tooth, thereafter flexed weakly downward to the apical fork. Standing hairs on head and alitrunk stiff, narrowly remiform apically: one in apicoscrobal position; a pair on vertex close to occipital margin; one at each pronotal humerus; absent from mesonotum. Petiole, postpetiole and basal quarter of first gastral tergite with fine curved filiform to subflagellate hairs. Bullae of femoral glands short and subovate, located at or proximal of the dorsal mid length on the middle and hind femora. Propodeal lamella acutely bitriangular to bispinose, lower lobe longer than upper. Lateral spongiform lobe of petiole large and extends forward on side to level of anterior face of node. Petiole node reticulate-punctate, as long as broad in dorsal view. Lateral and ventral spongiform lobes of postpetiole massive. Disc of postpetiole sparsely longitudinally costulate. Basigastral costulae sharply defined, longer than width of posterior spongiform collar of postpetiole but shorter than disc.

Paratypes. TL 4.2, HL 0.88-0.92, HW 0.70-0.73, CI 79-80, ML 1.22-1.24, MI 133-141, SL 0.74-0.75, SI 101-107, PW 0.39, AL 0.82-0.82 (2 measured).

Determination Clarifications

Bolton (2000) - The holotype of this species is the specimen dubiously referred to Strumigenys dolichognatha by Kempf (1975).

Karyotype

  • 2n = 40, karyotype = 18SM+12ST+10A (French Guiana) (Aguiar et al., 2020).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Castano-Meneses G., R. De Jesus Santos, J. R. Mala Dos Santos, J. H. C. Delabie, L. L. Lopes, and C. F. Mariano. 2019. Invertebrates associated to Ponerine ants nests in two cocoa farming systems in the southeast of the state of Bahia, Brazil. Tropical Ecology 60: 52–61.
  • Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
  • Groc S., J. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, M. Leponce, J. Orivel, R. Silvestre, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos, and A. Dejean. 2013. Leaf-litter ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a pristine Guianese rainforest: stable functional structure versus high species turnover. Myrmecological News 19: 43-51.
  • Groc S., J. Orivel, A. Dejean, J. Martin, M. Etienne, B. Corbara, and J. H. C. Delabie. 2009. Baseline study of the leaf-litter ant fauna in a French Guianese forest. Insect Conservation and Diversity 2: 183-193.