Strumigenys caiman

Strumigenys caiman
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species group:	nitens
Species:	S. caiman
Binomial name
Strumigenys caiman Booher, Prebus & Lubertazzi, 2019

Known from two localities in Cuba, both of which were lowland mature coastal forest in south-central Cuba. The holotype worker and two paratypes were collected from leaf litter extracted in a Berlese funnel.

Identification

Booher et al. (2019) - Strumigenys caiman can be distinguished from congeners in the nitens group by the dental count of six. This species is closely related to Strumigenys nitens and Strumigenys hubbewatyorum, but can be distinguished by the following additional characters: inner mandibular margin with two teeth; apex of mandibles with four teeth vertically arranged: the uppermost two are spiniform, while the lowermost are shorter and triangular (see Fig. 2c in Caste section); mandibles longer (MI 38-39 vs. 31-33 in S. nitens and S. hubbewatyorum); antennal scape is shorter (SI 56-60 vs. 61-74); mesosoma slightly more compact (WL 2.1-2.2 times PW vs. 2.3); eye smaller, less than or equal to the maximum width of the antennal scape. The following characters separate S. caiman from Strumigenys zemi and Strumigenys convexiceps: mandibles relatively long (MI 24-29 in S. zemi and S. convexiceps), petiolar node narrow in dorsal view, approximately half the width of postpetiole; mesosoma relatively elongate (WL 1.7-1.8 times PW in S. zemi and S. convexiceps).

Keys including this Species

• Key to Strumigenys nitens group

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Cuba (type locality), Greater Antilles.

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.

Castes

Worker

Booher et al. 2019. Figure 2. Comparison of full-face view and mandibles in oblique antero-dorsal view of: a) reproduction of original Santschi (1932) illustration of Strumigenys nitens b) Strumigenys nitens (CASENT0914607) c) Strumigenys caiman (MCZENT00644270).

Nomenclature

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

• caiman. Strumigenys caiman Booher, Prebus & Lubertazzi, 2019: 338, figs. 1, 2 (w.) CUBA.

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

Description

Booher et al. (2019) - (n=4) HL = 0.45–0.48 (0.46); HW = 0.33–0.36 (0.34); ML = 0.17–0.18 (0.17); PW = 0.22–0.24 (0.23); SL = 0.19–0.20 (0.20); FL = 0.29–0.33 (0.31); HT = 0.30–0.33 (0.31); EL = 0.04–0.05 (0.04); TL = 2.01–2.07 (2.04); WL = 0.46–0.52 (0.49); CI = 74–75 (75); MI = 38–39 (39); SI = 56–60 (58).

Adapted from the description of Pyramica nitens in Bolton (2000). Mandibles in full face view and at full closure elongate-triangular and strongly tapering apically; MI 38-39. Extreme apices of mandibles alone engage, and a broad subovate gap is present between them through which the broad labral lobes are visible. Inner mandibular margin with two small conical teeth whose apices are widely separated at full closure; the first about one-third of the margin length from the base, the second about two-thirds the way along the margin. Apices of mandibles with a more or less vertical series of four teeth, the upper two longer and spiniform, the lower two shorter and triangular, giving a total dental count of six (see Fig. 2c in Caste section). Clypeus and upper scrobe margins have fine faint longitudinal striolate sculpture, traces of which are also present on the cephalic dorsum between the frontal carinae. Antennal scapes long: SI 56-62. Lateral margins of the head roughly parallel and the posterior margin shallowly concave in full-face view. Dorsum of head with elongate, spatulate setae which curve toward the midline. Compound eye small: diameter less than or equal to the maximum width of the antennal scape. In profile view, dense punctate sculpture present between the compound eye and the postbuccal impression.

Mesosoma elongate: WL 2.1-2.2 times PW. Uniformly smooth and shining. Dorsal surface of pronotum and mesonotum 4-5 pairs elongate, simple to blunt setae which shallowly curve toward the midline.

Petiolar node narrow, roughly 1/2 as broad as postpetiole in dorsal view. Postpetiole 1.75-2.10 times as broad as long. Petiolar peduncle covered in dense punctate sculpture, but dorsal surface of petiole and postpetiole smooth and shining. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole with 2-3 pairs long, fine, tapering setae.

Six to ten basigastral costulae present only on the limbus and the extreme base of the first gastral tergite, covering less than 0.15 of the length of the first gastral tergite, the remainder of which is smooth and shining. First gastral tergite with four to five rows of four long, fine, filiform to flagellate tapering setae.

Head, mesosoma, and gaster uniformly dark reddish brown. Appendages lighter brown.

Type Material

• Holotype, worker, Camagüey: Soledad, L.V., Blanco s Woods, Cuba, VII.20 1953, E.O. Wilson, MCZ-ENT00644268, Museum of Comparative Zoology; berlesate.
• Paratype, 1 worker, Camagüey: Soledad, L.V., Blanco s Woods, Cuba, VII.20 1953, E.O. Wilson, MCZ-ENT00644267, Museum of Comparative Zoology; berlesate.
• Paratype, 1 worker, Camagüey: Soledad, L.V., Blanco s Woods, Cuba, VII.20 1953, E.O. Wilson, MCZENT00644269, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History; berlesate.

Etymology

a small ant with long mandibles armed with many slender teeth, this species is reminiscent of the crocodilians of the genus Caiman. The name is a noun in apposition.

Determination Clarifications

Booher et al. (2019) - The type material was originally described in Bolton (2000) as Strumigenys nitens, this species differs from the original description and illustration by Santschi (1932); see Fig. 2c in the Caste section and the S. nitens species page, taxonomic notes.

References

• Booher, D.B., Prebus, M.M., Lubertazzi, D. 2019. A taxonomic revision of the Strumigenys nitens and simulans groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), two Caribbean radiations of leaf litter ants. Zootaxa. 4656, 335-358. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4656.2.7

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Booher D. B., M. M. Prebus, and D. Lubertazzi. 2019. A taxonomic revision of the Strumigenys nitens and simulans groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), two Caribbean radiations of leaf litter ants. Zootaxa 4656: 335-358.