Strumigenys anetes

Strumigenys anetes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. anetes
Binomial name
	Strumigenys anetes; Brown, 1988 Specimen Labels

Specimens of this species have been collected from rotting logs in rainforest.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys mayri-group. S. anetes, Strumigenys dysanetes, Strumigenys orthanetes and Strumigenys paranetes are unique in the Austral fauna because of the absence of well developed preapical teeth on their mandibles. The only other uniquely Australian members of the group, Strumigenys philiporum and Strumigenys varanga, have strongly developed sharp preapical teeth, as also do the three mayri-group species that occur jointly in the Austral and Malesian regions (Strumigenys ferocior, Strumigenys mayri, Strumigenys racabura); in addition these last three species have deep narrow preocular notches.

S. anetes separates easily from its three closest relatives as it is the only one in which the posterior (free) margin of the propodeal lamella is concave in profile view; in dysanetes, orthanetes and paranetes the lamella is conspicuously convex.

Keys including this Species

Key to Australian Strumigenys Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -15.8° to -16.58640134°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

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

Nomenclature

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

anetes. Strumigenys anetes Brown, 1988f: 42, 2 figs. (w.) AUSTRALIA. See also: Bolton, 2000: 978.

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

Description

Worker

TL 2.8-3.1, HL 0.80-0.89, HW 0.52-0.59, CI 64-69, ML 0.36-0.40, MI 44-48, SL 0.52-0.58, SI 96-104, PW 0.28-0.32, AL 0.72-0.83 (15 measured).

Mandible without trace of preapical dentition; intercalary denticle low and blunt. Apicoscrobal hair subflagellate. Stiffly erect simple hairs present along occipital margin and a similar pair at highest point of vertex. Pronotal humeral hair subflagellate to flagellate, pronotal dorsum otherwise without standing hairs; mesonotum with a single pair of erect hairs. Dorsal (outer) surfaces of tibiae and basitarsi without long erect filiform or flagellate hairs. Standing hairs on first gastral tergite mainly simple, but may be subflagellate or narrowly looped apically; hairs on second tergite more obviously flagellate. Lamella on propodeal declivity narrow, its posterior (free) margin concave. Head, dorsal alitrunk and petiole node reticulate-punctate; mesopleuron, metapleuron and side of propodeum mostly to entirely smooth, at most with peripheral punctate sculpture. Basigastral costulae strongly developed, about as long as disc of postpetiole.

Type Material

Holotype and paratype workers, AUSTRALIA: Queensland, Atherton Tableland, Malanda, 4 & 5.xi.1950, rotten logs (W. L. Brown); paratype workers, AUSTRALIA: Queensland, Shipton’s Flat, S of Cooktown, 1.vi.1958 (P. F. & P. J. Darlington); Qld, nr Atherton, Jr Herberton Rd., 4000 ft, 16.vi.1962, No. 1617, rotten log (R. W. Taylor); Qld, Lake Eacham Nat. Pk, No. 1438, rain forest, rotten log (R. W. Taylor) (Museum of Comparative Zoology, Australian National Insect Collection, The Natural History Museum, National Museum of Natural History) [examined].

Holotype, worker, Malanda, Queensland, Australia, Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Paratype, 9 workers, Malanda, Queensland, Australia, Brown,W.L., ANIC32-017748, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, 2 workers, Malanda, Queensland, Australia, Brown,W.L., ANIC32-017749, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, 3 workers, Shiptons Flat, S Cooktown, Queensland, Australia, Darlingtons, ANIC32-017750, Australian National Insect Collection.
Paratype, worker(s), Shipton's Flat, near Atherton or Lake Eacham National Park, Queensland, Australia, The Natural History Museum.
Paratype, worker(s), Shipton's Flat, near Atherton or Lake Eacham National Park, Queensland, Australia, National Museum of Natural History.

References

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 978, figs. 532, 547 redescription of worker)
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1988f. Strumigenys anetes species nov. Pilot Regist. Zool. Card No. 42.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65