Neotropical Pyramica key modifications

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online

The following adds two species described in:

Rigato, F. & Scupola, A. 2008. Two new species of the Pyramica gundlachi-group from Ecuador. Biodiversity of South America I. Memoirs on Biodiversity. 1:477-481.

to this key:

Key to Neotropical Strumigenys (as Pyramica) by Bolton (2000).

Rigato and Scupola prefaced their changes: "Updating of the key to the Neotropical Pyramica. Bolton’s key (2000: 138) can be partially modified as follows in order to include both new species (original couplets’ numbers are in brackets and two new couplets are added; most of the original couplets have been partially rewritten).


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7

  • Disc of postpetiole smooth or weakly sculptured in parts, never densely reticulate- punctate . . . . . 8
  • Disc of postpetiole densely reticulate-punctate over most or all of its surface . . . . . 14 [12]

8

return to couplet #7

  • Cephalic dorsum with 2 pairs of long, filiform to weakly remiform standing hairs, one pair near highest point of vertex, the other near the occipital margin. Apicoscrobal and pronotal humeral hairs narrow, filiform to weakly remiform . . . . . 9
  • Cephalic dorsum with a single pair of stoutly remiform standing hairs, located close to the occipital margin. Apicoscrobal and pronotal humeral hairs thick, remiform. (Venezuela, Colombia) . . . . . Strumigenys nubila

9

return to couplet #8

  • Mandible with 3 or more preapical teeth or denticles . . . . . 10

10

return to couplet #9

  • Mandible with 3 preapical teeth or denticles, of which the basalmost is distinctly the largest. (Colombia) . . . . . Strumigenys gemella
  • Mandible with 3 (or more) preapical teeth or denticles, of which the basalmost is not the largest . . . . . 11

11

  • Mandibles relatively long, MI 61-70. Postpetiolar tergite anteriorly with a thin transverse lamella or carina. Basigastral costulae present but short . . . . . 12
  • Mandibles shorter, MI 55-57. Postpetiolar tergite anteriorly without a thin transverse lamella or carina. Basigastral costulae absent. (Colombia) . . . . . Strumigenys laevipleura

12

return to couplet #11

  • MI 66-70. In full face view the whole inner margin of mandible shallowly concave. (Colombia, Ecuador) . . . . . Strumigenys vartana
  • MI 61-64. In full face view inner margin of mandible slightly convex in its proximal half . . . . . 13

13

return to couplet #12

  • Mandible with 5 or more preapical teeth or denticles, always with a pair of subequal, relatively close, large ones at its apical third and one relatively small stemming very close to the apicodorsal tooth (Fig. 2). (Ecuador) . . . . . Strumigenys osellai
Head, S. osellai.
  • Mandible usually with 4 preapical teeth or denticles, always with a single large one at its apical third and none stemming very close to the apicodorsal tooth (Fig. 5). (Ecuador) . . . . . Strumigenys heterodonta
Head, S. heterodonta.