Strumigenys ferocior

Strumigenys ferocior
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. ferocior
Binomial name
	Strumigenys ferocior; Brown, 1973 Specimen Labels

Known from a few rainforest litter samples.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the mayri complex in the Strumigenys mayri-group. Very closely related to Strumigenys missina and Strumigenys mayri; see notes under Strumigenys akhtoi and missina.

Brown (1973) - Although S. ferocior is very close to Strumigenys mayri, it was taken at a locality where Taylor and Feehan also secured samples of mayri, and the two forms are readily distinguished in this sympatric situation. Taylor sent it as a "species G," distinct from the mayri sample in the same shipment. Probably ferocior is a localized sibling species on the southern periphery of the mayri range in Cape York.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -5.26569° to -12.73333333°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).
Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

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.

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Castes

Nomenclature

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

ferocior. Strumigenys ferocior Brown, 1973c: 266, fig. 3 (w.q.) AUSTRALIA. See also: Bolton, 2000: 882.

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 2.6, HL 0.69, HW 0.49, WL 0.66, scape L 0.47, L right hind femur 0.51, tibia 0.40, tarsus including claws 0.65, eye diameter 0.04, petiole L 0.25 mm; CI 71, MI 52.

Larger and relatively more slender than Strumigenys mayri. Habitus tending toward that of Strumigenys szalayi, but occipital lobes not depressed, and spongiform appendages as in S. mayri. Slightly smaller than Strumigenys hoplites, and propodeal teeth shorter (slightly longer than the distance between the centers of their bases). Pleura of trunk entirely sculptured and opaque, except for a small, narrow strip along the lower anterior mesopleuron that can be seen at all only in exactly the right light. Postpetiole finely reticulate-punctulate, opaque. Ground pilosity of head fairly well developed, but very sparse on trunk. Erect hairs of medium length, stiff, bluntly pointed. Color light ferruginous; gaster a little darker, more brownish.

Bolton (2000) - TL 2.5-2.7, HL 0.68-0.74, HW 0.46-0.51, CI 68-70, ML 0.35-0.38, MI 49-54, SL 0.46-0.51, SI 96-102, PW 0.26-0.30, AL 0.64-0.72 (20 measured).

Characters of the mayri-complex. Preapical tooth spiniform, its length about equal to maximum width of mandible. Cephalic dorsum with 4-6 erect simple hairs along the occipital margin and a similar pair at level of highest point of vertex. With head in full-face view the upper scrobe margin above the eye not obscuring junction of eye with head capsule, entire eye visible. Preocular notch conspicuous; ventral surface of head with a shallow preocular transverse impression. Pronotal humeral hair simple, pronotum otherwise without erect hairs; mesonotum with one pair of erect simple hairs. Dorsal alitrunk evenly reticulate-punctate. Dorsal surfaces of waist segments and gastral tergites with simple stiff hairs. Katepisternum with a smooth patch on lower half; metapleuron and side of propodeum reticulate-punctate. Propodeum armed with a pair of short spines, length of spine slightly greater than distance separating their bases but less than dorsal width of petiole node. Dorsal (outer) surface of hind basitarsus without long fine erect hairs. Petiole in profile with anterior face of node not markedly less than length of dorsum, in dorsal view petiole node slightly broader than long to about as broad as long. Disc of postpetiole finely and densely reticulate-punctate.

Queen

Two dealate paratypes with the same data as the workers. TL 3.0, HL 0.70, HW 0.51, ML 0.36, scape L 0.45, WL 0.71 mm; CI 73, MI 51.

Type Material

Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, AUSTRALIA: Queensland, Cape York Peninsula, Iron Range, 14.vi.1971, rain forest berlesate (R. W. Taylor & J. Feehan); paratype workers and queen, AUSTRALIA: same lac., 9-15.vi.1971 (Taylor & Feehan) (Museum of Comparative Zoology, Australian National Insect Collection) [examined]. Further specimens of both the holotype and paratype series, not seen by Brown (1973c), are present in ANIC.

Holotype, worker, Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, workers, Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, 4 workers, 2 queens, Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.

References

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 882, redescription of worker)
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1973c. The Indo-Australian species of the ant genus Strumigenys: groups of horvathi, mayri and wallacei. Pacific Insects. 15:259-269. (page 266, fig. 3 worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
Lucky A., L. E. Alonso, E. Sarnat, and J. Hulr. 2015. Ants and scolytine beetles. In: Richards, S.J. and N. Whitmore (editors) 2015. A rapid biodiversity assessment of Papua New Guinea's Hindenburg Wall region. Wildlife Conservation Society Papua New Guinea Program. Goroka, PNG.