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Strumigenys akhtoi
| Strumigenys akhtoi | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Strumigenys |
| Species: | S. akhtoi |
| Binomial name | |
| Strumigenys akhtoi Bolton, 2000
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One collection of this species was taken from a rotten log in a montane rainforest.
Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the mayri complex in the Strumigenys mayri-group. There are seven species in the mayri-complex that lack erect long fine hairs on the hind basitarsus. Two of these, Strumigenys rayma and Strumigenys fricta, have two freely laterally projecting hairs on the dorsolateral margin of the head, one close to the level of the eye, the other in the apicoscrobal position. Both these species also have the petiole node dorsum long, low and shallowly convex, much longer than the height of the anterior face; see under rayma.
The other five species (akhtoi, Strumigenys ferocior, Strumigenys hoplites, Strumigenys mayri, Strumigenys missina) have only a single freely projecting long hair on the dorsolateral margin of the head, the apicoscrobal, and do not have an elongate low dorsal surface to the petiole. Of the five akhtoi is isolated by its relatively large size, dark colour and very short propodeal teeth. Its katepisternum is entirely smooth and there is a distinct broad smooth patch on the metapleuron and side of the propodeum. S. hoplites has very long thin propodeal spines that appear needle-like in profile; its pleurae and side of propodeum are entirely reticulate-punctate except for a small smooth patch anteriorly on the lower half of the katepisternum.
The propodeal armament in ferocior, missina and mayri is intermediate in length between the short teeth of akhtoi and the exaggerated thin spines of hoplites. In ferocior and missina the pleurae and side of the propodeum are almost entirely reticulate-punctate, the only smooth patch is a small area anteriorly on the lower half of the katepisternum. Conversely, in mayri all of the katepisternum and most or all of the metapleuron and side of the propodeum are smooth. Coupled with this, mayri is distinctly a smaller species than both ferocior and missina, and has flagellate hairs on the body, as indicated in the key. The last two named are very closely related and best separated by their relative dimensions.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea (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. |
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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.
- akhtoi. Strumigenys akhtoi Bolton, 2000: 878, fig. 468 (w.) NEW GUINEA.
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 2.7, HL 0.75, HW 0.53, CI 71, ML 0.40, MI 53, SL 0.52, SI 98, PW 0.30, AL 0.76. Characters of the mayri-complex. Preapical tooth spiniform, longer than maximum width of mandible. Cephalic dorsum with 4-6 erect simple hairs along the occipital margin and a similar pair at level of highest point of vertex. Preocular notch strongly present; ventral surface of head with a preocular transverse impression posterior to the deeply incised postbuccal groove. Pronotal humeral hair simple, pronotum otherwise without erect hairs; mesonotum with one pair of erect simple hairs. Dorsal alitrunk reticulate-punctate, on pronotum the punctures more diffuse anteriorly and may be partially effaced mediodorsally. Dorsal surfaces of waist segments and first gastral tergite with simple hairs. Katepisternum smooth and metapleuron also with a smooth patch, remainder of side reticulate-punctate. Propodeum armed with a pair of short teeth, length of one tooth less than distance separating their bases. Dorsal (outer) surface of hind basitarsus without long fine erect hairs. Petiole in profile with anterior face of node equal to or slightly greater than length of dorsum, in dorsal view petiole node broader than long. Disc of postpetiole with weak sculpture anteriorly and laterally, remainder smooth. Darkly coloured species, dark brown to blackish brown.
Paratypes. TL 2.6-2.7, HL 0.72-0.76, HW 0.51-0.53, CI 70-72, ML 0.39-0.41, MI 53-55, SL 0.50-0.54, SI 98-102, PW 0.28-0.31, AL 0.72-0.78 (10 measured).
Type Material
Hoiotype worker, Papua New Guinea: Morobe, Wau, Mt Koiorong, 2300 m., 2.vi.1992 (G. Cuccodoro) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève). Paratypes. 23 workers with same data as hoiotype (MHNG, The Natural History Museum, Museum of Comparative Zoology).
References
- Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 878, fig. 468 worker described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
- 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.