Strumigenys terayamai group

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online

Strumigenys terayamai group Bolton (2000)

Species

Malesian-Oriental-East Palaeartic

Worker Diagnosis

Mandibles in full-face view and at full closure short triangular, with serially dentate masticatory margins that engage throughout their exposed length. In ventral view outer margin of mandible without inflected prebasal angle. MI 16.

Dentition. With 12 small crowded teeth on the masticatory margin of the mandible, without a basal row of enlarged teeth. Basal tooth larger than teeth 2-11 and following the basal lamella without a diastema; apical tooth the largest.

Basal lamella of mandible broadly bluntly triangular, low and rounded dorsally and no higher than the basal tooth. Proximally the lamella tapers along the line of the inner margin of the mandible.

Labrum terminates in a pair of narrow triangular lobes.

Clypeus short and broad, its anterior margin transverse and with anterolateral angles that round broadly and evenly in to the sides. Outer margins of closed mandibles intersect anterior clypeal margin at the broad anterolateral angles. In ventral view the lateral clypeal margins do not extend well beyond the outer margins of the fully closed mandibles through the basal third or more of their length.

Clypeal dorsum densely clothed with elongate narrowly spatulate hairs that are curved anteriorly or anteromedially; without standing hairs. Lateral margins of clypeus with similar elongate spatulate hairs that curve anteriorly; anterior margin with similar hairs that curve toward the midline.

Preocular carina broad and shallowly convex, very conspicuous in full-face view.

Ventrolateral margin of head poorly defined behind the mandibular insertion; postbuccal impression inconspicuous.

Cuticle of side of head within the scrobe finely reticulate-punctate.

Scape moderate, SI 76, broad, strongly dorsoventrally flattened anteriorly, the leading edge narrow and sharp. Scape broadest at the subbasal angle then tapering toward the apex; the scrobe very broad to accommodate the wide scape.

Leading edge of scape equipped with a row of about 12 narrowly spatulate hairs that curve toward the apex of the scape.

Pronotal dorsum without a median longitudinal carina.

Propodeum without trace of spines or teeth, the declivity with a narrow spongiform lamella that extends its entire depth; without propodeal lobes at base of declivity.

Spongiform appendages of waist segments large. Base of first gastral sternite in profile with a pad of spongiform tissue.

Pilosity. Pronotal humeral hair elongate and simple, acute apically and directed dorsolaterally. Dorsum of head densely clothed with narrow spatulate ground-pilosity that arches anteriorly or anteromedially. Ventral surface with similar but smaller hairs. Dorsum of head also with sparse stiff elongate simple hairs that are acute, suberect and weakly curved. Mesonotum with 2 pairs of acute erect simple hairs.

Notes

The single species included in this group, Strumigenys terayamai from Japan, has no obvious close relatives.

References

  • Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028.