Strumigenys dubitata

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

Specimens have been collected from dry forest litter samples.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys louisianae-group. As in Strumigenys infidelis the humeral hair in dubitata is stiff and not flagellate. However, dubitata has two pairs of erect short hairs on the vertex, an obtuse and shallow postbuccal groove and a small posterior spongiform lobe ventrally on the petiole. In infidelis only a single pair of standing hairs occurs on the vertex, the postbuccal groove is narrow and deeply incised and the petiole ventrally completely lacks spongiform tissue.

Longino (Ants of Costa Rica) - Apical fork of mandible with two intercalary teeth; a conspicuous preapical tooth just proximal to the apical fork, and a preapical denticle about one third of mandible length from apical fork; outstanding setal pairs on sides of head, humeral angles, and mesonotum all similar, stiff and weakly thickened apically; gaster finely granular, opaque; erect setae on gaster spatulate; posterior face of petiolar node quadrate in posterior view, with produced anterolateral corners.

Keys including this Species

Key to Neotropical and Nearctic Strumigenys

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 10.88674° to 10.84479°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (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

Images from AntWeb


Paratype Strumigenys dubitata. Worker. Specimen code inbiocri001283963. Photographer D. J. Cox, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by JTLC.

Nomenclature

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

dubitata. Strumigenys dubitata Bolton, 2000: 523, figs. 312, 341, 353 (w.) COSTA RICA.

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 2.5, HL 0.60, HW 0.52, CI 87, ML 0.34, MI 57, SL 0.38, SI 73, PW 0.31, AL 0.62. Mandible with a minute inconspicuous denticle proximal to the preapical tooth, located on the upper inner margin just distal of its midlength. With head in profile postbuccal groove shallow and obtuse. Apicoscrobal hair short and stiff, weakly remiform. Cephalic dorsum with two pairs of short standing hairs, one close to occipital margin, the other close to highest point of vertex. Pronotal humeral hair stiff and more or less straight, simple to very narrowly remiform; mesonotal standing hairs simple to narrowly remiform. Ventral surface of petiole with a small spongiform lobe posteriorly below the node; when postpetiole flexed downward this lobe is concealed between the ventral lobes of the postpetiole.

Paratypes. TL 2.4-2.6, HL 0.57-0.64, HW 0.46-0.54, CI 81-87, ML 0.32-0.36, MI 54-57, SL 0.35-0.41, SI 72-78, PW 0.29-0.32, AL 0.57-0.66 (7 measured). As holotype but preapical denticle may be difficult to see.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Costa Rica: Provo Guanacaste, Guanacaste N. P., Santa Rosa Sector, iv.1985 (J. Memmott) (The Natural History Museum).

Paratypes. Costa Rica: 2 workers with same data as holotype; 1 worker, Provo Guanacaste, Santa Rosa N. P., 10°51'N, 85°37 'W, 300 m., 11-15.vii.1985, dry forest, #519-S (J. Longino); 2 workers with same data but 12.vii.1985, #420-S (J. Longino); 3 workers, Provo Guanacaste, La Pacifica, 40 m., 10°27' N, 85°08'W, 16-17.vii.1985, dry forest litter sample, #530-S (J. Longino) (BMNH, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, John T. Longino Collection).

References

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 523, worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
INBio Collection (via Gbif)
Ulyssea M. A., C. R. F. Brandao. 2013. Catalogue of Dacetini and Solenopsidini ant type specimens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. Papies Avulsos de Zoologia 53(14): 187-209.