Strumigenys charybdis

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Strumigenys charybdis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species: S. charybdis
Binomial name
Strumigenys charybdis
(Bolton, 2000)

Strumigenys charybdis casent0900114 p 1 high.jpg

Strumigenys charybdis casent0900114 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Strumigenys charybdis.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys capitata-group. Closely related to Strumigenys tethys and Strumigenys themis, charybdis is distinguished from them by its well developed spongiform appendages on the waist segments and its broad propodeal lamella. In both tethys and them is the lateral spongiform lobe of the petiole is reduced, appearing as a thin or vestigial flange that is narrower than the posterior collar in dorsal view. The postpetiole disc in dorsal view is not thickly surrounded by spongiform tissue along the sides and around the anterior angles, and in profile the ventral spongiform lobe of the postpetiole is smaller than the exposed cuticular area of the disc. The contrasting states found in charybdis are as described above.

Further to these differences, in tethys the mesonotum has only a single pair of standing hairs, the side of the pronotum is obliquely costulate, and the postpetiole is extremely broad whereas in charybdis two pairs of mesonotal standing hairs are present, the pronotal sides are reticulate-punctate and the postpetiole is quite narrow. Finally, in themis the dorsal outline of the propodeum is markedly convex, whilst in charybdis the propodeum is more or less flat and slopes posteriorly.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia (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.

  • charybdis. Pyramica charybdis Bolton, 2000: 396 (w.) INDONESIA (Sumatra). Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 117

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 2.0, HL 0.52, HW 0.44, CI 85, ML 0.11, MI 21, SL 0.24, SI 55, PW 0.27, AL 0.52. Pronotal humeral hair and apicoscrobal hair stout, remiform to weakly clavate apically. Eye with 4 ommatidia in the longest row. Dorsum of head with a row of 4 standing hairs close to the occipital margin, and with a pair of similar hairs close to the highest point of the vertex. Head and alitrunk reticulate-punctate everywhere except for the lower katepisternum which is smooth and shining. Mesonotal dorsum with two pairs of short, apically clavate standing hairs. Lamella of propodeal declivity relatively broad and weakly punctulate-spongiform, not merely a low cuticular carina. With petiole in profile the dorsum with two pairs of hairs and the height of the anterior face of the node about equal to the length of its dorsum (discounting the posterior collar). Spongiform appendages of waist segments large. With petiole in profile the lateral lobe an extensive and distinctly spongiform flap that extends forward almost to the level of the anterior face of the node. Ventral spongiform lobe of postpetiole in profile much larger than the exposed cuticular area of the disc, and very much larger than the lateral lobe. Petiole node in dorsal view reticulate-punctate, bounded on each side by the conspicuously projecting lateral spongiform lobes that run the length of the sides. Postpetiolar disc glassy smooth, in dorsal view completely surrounded by projecting spongiform tissue. Disc of postpetiole not very greatly broader than petiole node (widths 0.19 and 0.13 respectively).

Type Material

Holotype worker, Indonesia: North Sumatra, Brastagi, 6.vi.1984, (Rougemont) (The Natural History Museum).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65: 1-1028.