Strumigenys bola

Strumigenys bola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. bola
Binomial name
Strumigenys bola Fisher, 2000 Specimen labels

Collected close to a half dozen times in montane rainforest. Samples have been found in canopy litter, rotten logs and sifted (ground) litter.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the chroa complex in the Strumigenys scotti-group. S. bola is distinguished from other species in the chroa-complex by having the upper scrobe margin bluntly marginate and gradually fading posterior of eyes, without a sharply defined rim, mesonotum with one pair of hairs, and pronotal humeral hair flagellate.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Malagasy Strumigenys

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -14.75° to -14.75°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Malagasy Region: Madagascar (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. ‎

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Holotype of Strumigenys bola. Worker. Specimen code casent0005497. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MCZ, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Paratype of Strumigenys bola. Worker. Specimen code casent0005498. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Paratype of Strumigenys bola. Worker. Specimen code casent0005499. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Nomenclature

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

• bola. Strumigenys bola Fisher, in Bolton, 2000: 672 (w.q.) MADAGASCAR.

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 3.0, HL 0.71, HW 0.50, CI 70, ML 0.37, MI 52, SL 0.46, SI 93, PW 0.30, AL 0.78. Characters of chroa-complex. Mandibles almost straight and at full closure parallel except at base. Apicoventral fork tooth with a denticle basally on its ventral surface. A narrow lamella present on inner margin of mandible from base to proximal preapical tooth; in full-face view inner margin of lamella more or less straight. Upper scrobe margin rounding into the sides behind level of eye, bluntly marginate. Eye large, the maximum diameter distinctly greater than the maximum width of the scape. Hairs on leading edge of scape slender and filiform. Upper scrobe margin with similar shaped hairs as scape and terminating in an erect narrowly clavate apicoscrobal hair. Cephalic dorsum with curved narrow spatulate to spoon-shaped ground-pilosity. Cephalic dorsum with 4 simple standing hairs arranged in a transverse row close to the occipital margin and a pair situated more anteriorly. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate. Anterior margin of mesonotum with a pair of filiform to narrowly clavate hairs. Ground-pilosity on alitrunk as on head but sparser. Dorsum of alitrunk in outline convex anteriorly and more or less flat posteriorly. Propodeal teeth slender and acute; lamella on declivity vestigial. Lateral margin of declivity with a small posteriorly projecting hair at level of the propodeal spiracle. Alitrunk dorsum reticulate-punctate; pleurae mostly smooth and shiny. Postpetiole disc finely longitudinally costulate laterally, smooth and shiny medially. Ventral spongiform tissue of petiole forming a narrow strip which decreases in depth anteriorly before forming a small acute anterior tooth; lateral spongiform lobe vestigial or absent. Postpetiole with distinct lateral and ventral spongiform lobes. Base of first gastral tergite with sparse costulae laterally. Dorsal surfaces of petiole, postpetiole and gaster with stout standing hairs which are thickened apically. Colour dull yellowish brown.

Paratypes. TL 3.0-3.2, HL 0.68-0.76, HW 0.46-0.52, CI 68-72, ML 0.33-0.37, MI 48-52, SL 0.43-0.47, SI 87-96, PW 0.30-0.33, AL 0.76-0.82 (8 measured). As holotype.

Type Material

Holotype worker, Madagascar: 9.2 km. WSW Befingotra, Res. Anjanaharibe-Sud, 14°45'S, 49°28'E, 1200 m., 10.xi.1994, canopy leaf litter, moss; montane rainforest #1206 (B. L. Fisher) (Museum of Comparative Zoology).

Paratypes. 1 worker and 1 queen (dealate) with same data as holotype; 3 workers and 1 queen with same data as holotype but coded #1203; 4 workers with same data as holotype but 1180 m., 7.xi.1994 and coded 1173; 3 workers with same data has holotype but labeled sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood) and coded 1192 (1)-6, (37)-10, (40)-5 (The Natural History Museum, South African Museum).

References

• Fisher, B.L. 2000. The Malagasy fauna of Strumigenys. Pp. 612-696 in: Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 672, worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
• Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.