Strumigenys hubbewatyorum

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Strumigenys hubbewatyorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species group: nitens
Species: S. hubbewatyorum
Binomial name
Strumigenys hubbewatyorum
Booher, Prebus & Lubertazzi, 2019

Strumigenys hubbewatyorum F4ab.jpg

Known from two localities in southeast and central Cuba, both of which were higher elevation (540 and 1026 m) mature wet forest. The holotype worker and paratype were collected from leaf litter extractions.

Identification

Booher et al. (2019) – The head pilosity (2 elongate apicoscrobal setae), larger size (WL > 0.56 mm), and longer femur (>0.38mm) separates Strumigenys hubbewatyorum from all other species in the S. nitens group. Otherwise the morphology of S. hubbewatyorum is allometrically similar to Strumigenys nitens, the only other species in the nitens group with a dental count of five + two intercalary denticles. Pilosity and coloration also separate this species from closely related congeners S. nitens and Strumigenys caiman (see S. nitens for diagnostic characters separating them, and also from other members of the nitens group).

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 21.98542° to 20.313°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Cuba (type locality), Greater Antilles.

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.

  • hubbewatyorum. Strumigenys hubbewatyorum Booher, Prebus & Lubertazzi, 2019: 343, fig. 4 (w.) CUBA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype: HL = 0.52; HW = 0.41; CT = 0.33; ML = 0.18; PW = 0.27; SL = 0.27; FL = 0.39; EL = 0.07; TL = 2.36; WL = 0.62; CI = 79; MI = 35; SI = 66. Paratype: HL = 0.53; HW = 0.39; CT = 0.32; ML = 0.17; PW = 0.25; SL = 0.25; FL = 0.40; EL = 0.06; TL = 2.21; WL = 0.57; CI = 74; MI = 32; SI = 64.

Mandibles in full face view and at full closure elongate-triangular and strongly tapering apically; MI 32-35. Distalmost third tooth of the inner mandibular margin and extreme apices of mandibles engage, and a broad subovate gap is present between them through which the broad labral lobes are visible. Inner mandibular margin with two elongate conical teeth whose apices are widely separated in addition to a third elongate-triangular tooth whose apices touch at full closure; the first about one-quarter of the margin length from the base, the second about one-half way along the margin, and the third at three-quarters the way along the margin. Mandibular apex with two teeth arranged vertically: the upper long and spiniform, and the lower elongate-triangular; two large intercalary denticles arise between these apical teeth along the upper margin of the lowermost tooth, these teeth stout-triangular. Lateral corners of clypeus and cephalic dorsum between the frontal carinae may have fine faint longitudinal striolate-punctate sculpture, but dorsum of head and clypeus otherwise smooth and shining. Antennal scapes long: SI 64-66. Lateral margins of the head roughly parallel; posterior margin shallowly concave in full-face view. Dorsum of head with elongate, simple to narrowly expanded setae which curve toward the midline of the head. In profile view, faint punctate sculpture present between the compound eye and the postbuccal impression. Compound eye large: diameter greater than to the maximum width of the antennal scape having 12-15 ommatidia.

Mesosoma elongate: WL 2.3 times PW. Uniformly smooth and shining, with faint traces of punctate sculpture at the dorsolateral margins and anterior dorsal surface of propodeum. Dorsal surface with elongate, simple to slightly expanded decumbent setae which curve toward the midline of the mesosoma.

Petiolar node narrow, roughly 1/2 as broad as postpetiole in dorsal view. Petiolar peduncle covered in light punctate sculpture, but dorsal surface of petiole and postpetiole smooth and shining. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole with elongate, spatulate setae.

Basigastral costulae sparse (six counted in paratype and holotype workers) and present only on the limbus and the extreme base of the first gastral tergite, the remainder of which is smooth and shining. First gastral tergite with numerous long, fine, tapering setae.

Head, mesosoma, gaster, and appendages uniformly dark reddish to piceous-brown.

Type Material

Etymology

This species name is a portmanteau of a couple’s names, tropical ecologist Stephen P. Hubbell and behavioral ecologist Patricia Adair Gowaty, who were PhD co-advisors to D. B. Booher. It is in honor of their love of natural history and for their support of taxonomic endeavors outside of Booher’s dissertation research.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Booher D. B., M. M. Prebus, and D. Lubertazzi. 2019. A taxonomic revision of the Strumigenys nitens and simulans groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), two Caribbean radiations of leaf litter ants. Zootaxa 4656: 335-358.