Strumigenys mocsaryi

Strumigenys mocsaryi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. mocsaryi
Binomial name
	Strumigenys mocsaryi; Emery, 1897 Specimen Labels

A rainforest species that has been found in litter and rotten wood.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. Of the five species discussed here (see under signeae-complex, above), mocsaryi is very much the odd one out. It is a minute (HL 0.45-0.48) New Guinean species that has extremely short scapes (SI 54-58) and long dense basigastral costulae. The other four species (Strumigenys gabarys, Strumigenys gamegyn, Strumigenys halpas, Strumigenys sytaria) are larger (HL > 0.60), inhabit the Malay Peninsula, Java and Borneo, have much longer scapes (SI 72-91), and have sparse short basigastral costulae. Of these four, gabarys has the katepisternum entirely sharply reticulate-punctate and has long scapes (SI 91). The other three have shorter scapes (SI 72-86) and have part to all of the katepisternum smooth. In halpas the pronotal dorsum has a pair of short erect hairs and the head is relatively narrow (CI 67-69), whereas sytaria and gamegyn lack pronotal erect hairs (except at the humeri) and have the head broader (CI 73-75). The last two species separate as gamegyn has shorter mandibles (MI 40), has remiform standing hairs on the first gastral tergite and has the posterior (free) margin of the lamella on the propodeal declivity convex; in contrast sytaria has longer mandibles (MI 46-49), simple standing hairs on the first gastral tergite and the posterior (free) margin of the lamella on the propodeal declivity concave.

Keys including this Species

Key to Strumigenys of East Asia

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -4.066669941° to -8.766670227°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea (type locality), Solomon Islands.

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

Images from AntWeb


Syntype of Strumigenys mocsaryi. Worker. Specimen code casent0904948. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Nomenclature

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

mocsaryi. Strumigenys mocsaryi Emery, 1897c: 580, pl. 14, fig. 15 (w.) NEW GUINEA. See also: Bolton, 2000: 824.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (2000) - TL 1.6-1.7, HL 0.45-0.48, HW 0.35-0.38, CI 78-80, ML 0.15-0.17, MI 33-38, SL 0.20-0.22, SI 54-58, PW 0.20-0.23, AL 0.44-0.48 (11 measured).

Characters of signeae-complex. Dorsolateral margin of head with anteriorly curved narrowly spoon-shaped hairs on upper scrobe margin; apicoscrobal hair short and stout; margin posterior to this with 2-3 much shorter projecting hairs (easily lost by abrasion). Cephalic dorsum with a transverse row of 4-6 short erect hairs at occipital margin; without standing hairs anterior to this. Pronotal humeral hair straight and stiff; pronotal dorsum otherwise without erect hairs. Mesonotum with a single pair of erect hairs. Entire dorsal alitrunk finely and densely reticulate-punctulate. Katepisternum mostly smooth but side of alitrunk otherwise reticulate-punctate. Lamella on propodeal declivity narrow, its posterior (free) margin concave. Petiole node in dorsal view broader than long, reticulate-punctate. In profile lateral spongiform lobe of petiole small, forming a posterolateral collar on node; height of anterior face of node at least equal to length of dorsum. Disc of postpetiole with weak punctulate-shagreenate sculpture at least in part, not entirely smooth. First gastral tergite with sparse short standing hairs. Basigastral costulae dense, longer than disc of postpetiole.

Type Material

Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Madang (= Friedrich-Wilhelrnshafen) and Hansemann Mts (L. Biro) (Hungarian Natural History Museum, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna) [examined].

References

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 824, redescription of worker)
Emery, C. 1897c. Formicidarum species novae vel minus cognitae in collectione Musaei Nationalis Hungarici quas in Nova-Guinea, colonia germanica, collegit L. Biró. Természetr. Füz. 20: 571-599. (page 580, pl. 14, fig. 15 worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
CSIRO Collection
Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
Emery C. 1897. Formicidarum species novae vel minus cognitae in collectione Musaei Nationalis Hungarici quas in Nova-Guinea, colonia germanica, collegit L. Biró. Természetrajzi Füzetek 20: 571-599.
Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
Viehmeyer H. 1912. Ameisen aus Deutsch Neuguinea gesammelt von Dr. O. Schlaginhaufen. Nebst einem Verzeichnisse der papuanischen Arten. Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und Anthropologische-Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden 14: 1-26.