Strumigenys fixata

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Strumigenys fixata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species: S. fixata
Binomial name
Strumigenys fixata
Bolton, 2000

Strumigenys fixata casent0102651 profile 1.jpg

Strumigenys fixata casent0102651 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Known from a few collections, with one noted as being from a rainforest litter sample.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the feae complex in the Strumigenys mayri-group. This small Indian species is currently the sole member of the feae-complex to have the apicoscrobal as the only elongate projecting hair on the dorsolateral margin of the head, and it is directed more dorsally than laterally. The ventral spongiform appendage of the petiole is more slender in fixata than in any other member of the feae-complex. In fixata the appendage in profile is reduced to a slender strip, much shallower than the depth of the peduncle, whereas in all other members of the complex the spongiform appendage forms a curtain that is at least as deep as the peduncle, and usually deeper. S. fixata also has the broadest head and shortest scapes recorded in the complex, CI 74-75, SI 75-80, as opposed to a range in all the remaining species of CI 48-70, SI 87-146.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Oriental Region: India (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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • fixata. Strumigenys fixata Bolton, 2000: 883 (w.) INDIA.

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 0.54, HW 0.40, CI 74, ML 0.24, MI 44, SL 0.32, SI 80, PW 0.24, AL 0.52. Characters of the feae-complex. Preapical tooth spiniform and slightly recurved, slightly longer than width of mandible at point where tooth arises, about equal to maximum width of mandible. Outer margin of mandible in full-face view convex from close to base to apicodorsal tooth. Apicoscrobal hair present, directed more dorsally than laterally, upper scrobe margin without a similar hair anterior to apicoscrobal. Cephalic dorsum with a row of 4-6 erect short simple hairs along the occipital margin, a similar pair present at level of highest point of vertex. Preocular notch absent. Maximum diameter of eye about equal to the maximum width of scape, with 3-4 ommatidia across the greatest diameter. Pronotal humeral hair simple to sub flagellate; pronotal dorsum finely reticulate-punctate, with a few fine weak longitudinal rugulae and without erect hairs; mesonotum with 2 pairs of erect simple hairs (see under paratypes). Dorsal surface of first gastral tergite with erect stiff simple hairs. Pleurae and side of propodeum smooth. Erect long hairs absent from dorsal (outer) surface of the hind basitarsus and from hind tibia. Petiole in profile with ventral spongiform strip very reduced, at maximum its depth only a fraction of the depth of the peduncle; anterior face of node slightly shorter than length of dorsum. Disc of postpetiole smooth. Basigastral costulae longer than disc of postpetiole.

Paratypes. TL 2.0-2.1, HL 0.52-0.55, HW 0.39-0.41, CI 74-75, ML 0.24-0.26, MI 44-48, SL 0.30-0.32, SI 75-80, PW 0.23-0.26, AL 0.50-0.58 (9 measured). Standing hairs on mesonotum apparently varying, usually with 1 or 2 pairs but some individuals with 3 pairs. This is due in part to varying degrees of abrasion in the type-series, and in part apparently due to disturbance of longer components of the ground pilosity. Some paratypes have the pronotum entirely reticulate-punctate, without any longitudinal rugular component.

Type Material

Holotype worker, India: Madras, Nilgiri, 6 km. E Coonoor, 1400 m., 22.xi.1972 (Mussard, Besuchet & Lobl) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève). Paratypes. 22 workers with same data as holotype; 12 workers, Madras, Anaimalai H., Valparai, 1250 m., 18.xi.1972 (Besuchet, Lobl & Mussard) (MHNG, Museum of Comparative Zoology, The Natural History Museum).

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Dad J. M., S. A. Akbar, H. Bharti, and A. A. Wachkoo. 2019. Community structure and ant species diversity across select sites ofWestern Ghats, India. Acta Ecologica Sinica 39: 219–228.