Strumigenys gryphon

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Strumigenys gryphon
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species: S. gryphon
Binomial name
Strumigenys gryphon
Bolton, 2000

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Specimen Labels

Known from the type specimens, which were collected from under a rock in a gully with dry sclerophyll vegetation.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. The broad, very long, streak-like femoral gland bullae render this species unique among the Austral fauna. On the dorsal surface of each femur the bulla commences behind the apex and extends proximally toward the femoral midlength. The bullae are unsculptured and paler in colour than the surrounding cuticle; they are particularly conspicuous on the fore femora. In most other Austral species the bullae are very small and subcircular to ovate; in some species they are indistinct or absent.

S. gryphon belongs to the aggregation of species immediately surrounding Strumigenys perplexa, that also includes Strumigenys geryon, Strumigenys cingatrix and Strumigenys deuteras. Among the Australian members of the signeae-complex all of these species are characterised by the presence of 3 pairs of erect stiff hairs on the mesonotum.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -29.05° to -29.05°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Australasian Region: Australia (type locality).

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.

  • gryphon. Strumigenys gryphon Bolton, 2000: 961 (w.q.m.) AUSTRALIA.

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

Description

Worker

Holotype. TL 2.8, HL 0.68, HW 0.47, CI 69, ML 0.29, MI 43, SL 0.42, SI 89, PW 0.29, AL 0.71. With characters of signeae-complex. Apicoscrobal hair absent. Cephalic dorsum with narrowly spatulate curved ground-pilosity; 2-4 short standing hairs present on cephalic dorsum, located close to occipital margin (lost from holotype, present in paratypes). Pronotal humeral hair filiform and evenly shallowly curved; pronotal dorsum with 1-2 pairs of stiffly erect simple hairs and mesonotum with 3-4 similar pairs, the posterior pair the shortest. Entire dorsal alitrunk finely and densely reticulate-punctate, finest on pronotum. Bullae of femoral glands very elongate, on each leg occupying at least one-quarter of the dorsal length of the femur. Propodeal declivity with posterior (free) margin of lamella shallowly concave. Katepisternum with a smooth median patch. Metapleuron and side of propodeum with a small patch where sculpture is weaker and more diffuse than elsewhere, that extends only over the uppermost portion of the metapleuron and lowermost portion of the side of the propodeum. Petiole with a small but distinct lateral spongiform lobe. Ventral curtain of petiole well developed and spongiform. Dorsum of petiole node feebly sculptured; postpetiole disc glassy smooth. Lateral and ventral spongiform lobes of postpetiole well developed, in dorsal view the lateral lobe extends to anterolateral corner of disc. Hairs on first gastral tergite very long and fine, curved filiform to subflagellate. Basigastral costulae more than 7 in number but shorter than disc of postpetiole.

Paratypes. TL 2.8-2.9, HL 0.65-0.67, HW 0.46-0.47, CI 70-71, ML 0.28-0.29, MI 42-45, SL 0.41-0.42, SI 87-91, PW 0.28-0.29, AL 0.70-0.72 (2 measured).

Type Material

Holotype worker, Australia: New South Wales, Tenterfield, 23.i.1961, “Strumigenys perplexa F.Sm.”, dry sclero., gully, under rock (B. B. Lowery) (Australian National Insect Collection). Paratypes. 3 workers, 3 queens and 2 males with same data as holotype (ANIC, The Natural History Museum).

References

  • Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 961, worker described)