Strumigenys choii

Strumigenys choii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. choii
Binomial name
	Strumigenys choii; Lyu, 2007

Nothing is known about the biology of Strumigenys choii.

Identification

Lyu (2007) - Strumigenys choii is similar to Strumigenys lewisi, but can be separated based on the presence of spatulate hairs on the head, antennal scapes, alitrunk, pedicel, legs, gaster, as opposed to the simple long hairs that occur in S. lewisi. Moreover, the area on the side of the pronotum in S. choii is smooth, while it is areolate in S. lewisi.

Strumigenys choii belongs to the Strumigenys godeffroyi group but can be distinguished from other species of this group based on the presence of the spatulate hairs on body and a smooth region on pronotum and propodeum.

Lubertazzi (2017, Antwiki, unpublished): Based on the above associations, the species is provisionally placed in the godeffroyi complex of the Strumigenys godeffroyi group

Keys including this Species

Key to Strumigenys of Korea

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Palaearctic Region: Republic of Korea (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

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

Worker


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Nomenclature

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

choii. Strumigenys choii Lyu, 2007: 117, figs. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A (w.) KOREA.

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

Description

Worker

n=29. Total Length 3.30 (2.85-3.60); Head Length 0.62 (0.57-0.67), Head Width 0.49 (0.46-0.52); Cephalic Index 79.19 (73.42-85.55)%; Scape Length 0.45 (0.42-0.49); Scape Index 92.08 (85.77-98.74)%; Alitrunk Length 0.75 (0.71-0.80); Propodeum Width 0.20 (0.18-0.23); Petiole Length 0.39 (0.343-0.42); Petiole Height 0.20 (0.19-0.22); Petiole Width 0.18 (0.16-0.19); Postpetiole Length 0.19 (0.17-0.22); Postpetiole Height 0.22 (0.21-0.24); Postpetiole Width 0.25 (0.23-0.26).

Antennae 6-segmented, with the funicular segment separated from a segmented apical club by two small segments. Antennal scape with spatulate hairs in 3 rows. Surface of head with areolae. One apically forked mandible with no distinct intercalary teeth or denticles and one mandible with a smooth and shiny surface that contains 1 preapical tooth. Compound eyes with 12 ommatidia at the largest width. Antennal scape not reacing the occiput. Dorsum of the pronotum with spatulate hairs and a smooth, shiny surface. Dorsum of the mesonotum with spatulate hairs and a weakly aerolate surface. Propodeal spines of moderate length, with mostly smooth sides and dorsum. Propodeal declivity with lamella and weakly expressed propodeal spines. Smooth dorsum of the petiolar node with spatulate hairs. Small petiole with a postlateral spongiform love that is rotundate in the lateral view and contains a weakly areolate stalk approximately 2/3 the length of the petiole. Smooth postpetiolar node dorsum and an anterior subpostpetiolar spongiform typical for Strumigenys workers. The posterior subpostpetiolar spongiform approximately ½ the height of the postpetiole. The costae of the gaster is coarse, however the remaining portions of the gaster are smooth and shiny.

Spatulate hairs present on head, scapes, alitrunk, legs, petiole, postpetiole, and gaster. Hairs on head erect to suberect. Hairs on venter of head suberect to appressed. Hairs on clypeus erect to suberect. Setae on mandible suberect to decumbent. Hairs on scape decumbent. Hairs on funiculus appressed. Hairs on alitrunk decumbent to suberect. Hair son legs mostly suberect to appressed. Each flagellate hair on side of the pronotum long. Hairs on anterior surface of petiolar node stiff, straight, short and appressed, whereas hairs on dorsum of petiolar node spatulate, stiff and short and those on posterior surface and side of petiolar node decumbent to appressed. Hairs on venter of petiole decumbent. Hairs on postpetiole spatulate, stiff and decumbent to suberect on all surfaces, becoming more suberect on the anterior surface of node. Hairs on gaster spatulate, stiff, short and erect to suberect. Body predominantly brown except alitrunk and appendages as well as of the gaster dark brown. Compound eyes black and setae yellow.

Type Material

Holotype: worker, Is. Soheuksan-do, 25 April 1994 (BM Choi), housed at Sangji University, Wonju, South Korea (SJU), with a red, partially handwritten label that read, “Strumigenys choii Holotype”. Paratypes: 28 w, same data as the holotype, distributed as follows: 21 and Sangji University, Wonju, South Korea (SJU); 3 at the Natural History Museum, London, UK (BMNH); 2 at the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA (California Academy of Sciences); 2 at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (Museum of Comparative Zoology). Each paratype worker had a yellow, partially handwritten label that read: “Strumigenys choii Paratype”.

Etymology

The new species, S. choii, is named in honor of the Korean myrmecologist, Dr. Byoung Moon Choi, who has studied Korean ants for 20 years and collected the only known colony of this species.

References