Strumigenys wrayi

Strumigenys wrayi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. wrayi
Binomial name
	Strumigenys wrayi; (Brown, 1950) Specimen labels

The type material was collected from leaf mould using a Berlese funnel (Fayetteville, North Carolina).

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys talpa-group. The arrangement of clypeal marginal pilosity here is reminiscent of Strumigenys reflexa, but in that species there are hairs on the leading edge of the scape that curve toward the scape base and most of the clypeal dorsum lacks hairs. The arrangement and orientation of the clypeal pilosity quickly separates wrayi from Strumigenys talpa.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 35.59° to 29.91°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (type locality).

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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

wrayi. Smithistruma (Smithistruma) wrayi Brown, 1950b: 38, pl. 3, fig. 5 (w.) U.S.A. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 130. See also: Brown, 1953g: 78; Bolton, 2000: 133.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Holotype -Total length (TL) 2.02 mm., head length (HL) 0.53 mm., length of alitrunk (WL) 0.50 mm., cephalic index (CI) 70, mandibulo-cephalic index 17. Resembling and very close to Strumigenys talpa, of which Strumigenys venatrix is a synonym. The chief difference is one of clypeal pilosity, and this is very striking even at first glance. Sides of free clypeal border each with four prominent well-spaced, inverted spoon-shaped hairs, broader than the corresponding hairs of talpa and curved strongly away from the midline, the apices of some directed more or less posteriorly. Four reduced hairs at the center of the anterior portion of the free border also are directed somewhat laterally. Disc of clypeus granulose-punctulate, opaque, with inconspicuous but rather abundant and evenly distributed small, posteriorly inclined finely subspatulate hairs. Gastric costulae extending more than 7:3 the length of the basal tergite, considerably longer and more distinct than in most talpa workers I have seen. Color medium ferrugineous, first gastric segment a bit darker and more brownish. In all other characters this species resembles talpa very closely.

Bolton (2000) - TL 2.0, HL 0.53-0.56, HW 0.37-0.38, CI 66-70, ML 0.07-0.09, MI 14-17, SL 0.26-0.28, SI 70-74, PW 0.24-0.26, AL 0.50-0.56 (3 measured). Broadly rounded anterior clypeal margin with 2 pairs of very small hairs that are curved away from the midline. Lateral margins of clypeus with spoon-shaped hairs that project laterally and somewhat obliquely posteriorly. Dorsum of clypeus with numerous short narrowly spatulate hairs that are all sharply inclined posteriorly. Basigastral costulae sharply defined and clearly extending more than one-third the length of the tergite.

Type Material

Holotype, a unique, deposited in the the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University; collected with the aid of a Berlese funnel from leaf mould at Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, U. S. A. North Carolina, Fayetteville, 22.xi.1948, berlesate of leaf mould (D.L. Wray) (Museum of Comparative Zoology) [examined].

Etymology

This species is named for the collector, Dr. David L. Wray, who has added very substantially to the knowledge of the Nearctic ant fauna through his zealous efforts to make known the microgenton of North Carolina.

References

Baroni Urbani, C. and De Andrade, M.L. 2007. The ant tribe Dacetini: limits and constituent genera, with descriptions of new species. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “G. Doria”. 99:1-191.
Bolton, B. 1999. Ant genera of the tribe Dacetonini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Nat. Hist. 3 33: 1639-1689 (page 1673, Combination in Pyramica)
Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 133, catalogue)
Booher, D.B. 2021. The ant genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in western North America north of Mexico. Zootaxa 5061, 201–248 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.1).
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1950d. Preliminary descriptions of seven new species of the dacetine ant genus Smithistruma Brown. Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 76:37-45. (page 38, pl. 3, fig. 5 worker described)
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1953g. Revisionary studies in the ant tribe Dacetini. American Midland Naturalist. 50:1-137. (page 78, redescription of worker)
Smith, D. R. 1979. Superfamily Formicoidea. Pp. 1323-1467 in: Krombein, K. V., Hurd, P. D., Smith, D. R., Burks, B. D. (eds.) Catalog of Hymenoptera in America north of Mexico. Volume 2. Apocrita (Aculeata). Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Pr (page 1408, catalogue)
Smith, M. R. 1951c. Family Formicidae. Pp. 778-875 in: Muesebeck, C. F., Krombein, K. V., Townes, H. K. (eds.) Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico. Synoptic catalogue. U. S. Dep. Agric. Agric. Monogr. 2:1-1420. (page 828, catalogue)
Smith, M. R. 1958c. Family Formicidae. Pp. 108-162 in: Krombein, K. V. (ed.) Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico. Synoptic catalogue. First supplement. U. S. Dep. Agric. Agric. Monogr. 2(suppl. 1):1-305. (page 137, catalogue)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Deyrup, M. 2003. An updated list of Florida ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 86(1):43-48.
Guénard B., K. A. Mccaffrey, A. Lucky, and R. R. Dunn. 2012. Ants of North Carolina: an updated list (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 3552: 1-36.
Ipser R. M. 2004. Native and exotic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Georgia: Ecological Relationships with implications for development of biologically-based management strategies. Doctor of Philosophy thesis, University of Georgia. 165 pages.
MacGown J. A., J. G. Hill, and M. Deyrup. 2009. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Little Ohoopee River Dunes, Emanuel County, Georgia. J. Entomol. Sci. 44(3): 193-197.