Strumigenys carinithorax

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Strumigenys carinithorax
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species: S. carinithorax
Binomial name
Strumigenys carinithorax
Borgmeier, 1934

Specimens have been found in forest litter samples.

Identification

Bolton (2000) – A member of the Strumigenys silvestrii-group. Very closely related to Strumigenys schmalzi, see notes there.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 10.43333333° to -22.809943°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname (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

Explore-icon.png 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

Nomenclature

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

  • carinithorax. Strumigenys carinithorax Borgmeier, 1934: 103, fig. 4 (not 6 as stated); pl. 1, fig. 3 (w.q.m.) SURINAM. See also: Brown, 1959f: 29; See also: Bolton, 2000: 551.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (2000) - TL 1.5-1.6, HL 0.36-0.40, HW 0.28-0.31, CI 76-80, ML 0.19-0.22, MI 55-56, SL 0.20-0.24, SI 73-78, PW 0.20-0.22, AL 0.38-0.41 (5 measured).

Mandible with preapical tooth separated from apicodorsal tooth by a distance approaching, or very slightly exceeding, its own length. A minute preapical denticle also present, just proximal of midlength of mandible. Scape with distinct subbasal bend, the curved hairs on its leading edge spatulate and the longest of them about equal to the maximum width of the scape. Ground-pilosity of head spatulate; apicoscrobal hair elongate and fine; cephalic dorsum with a pair of short simple erect hairs close to occipital margin. Pronotal humeral hair, and pair of hairs on the mesonotum, elongate and fine; ground-pilosity of promesonotum narrowly spatulate. Pilosity of first gastral tergite mainly of short curved simple hairs that are fine and soft, mostly strongly inclined and arched toward the midline. In amongst these hairs may be a few longer more erect fine hairs. Mesonotum with a median fine longitudinal carina whose degree of development is variable and sometimes indistinct. Petiole node in profile without spongiform tissue ventrally; lateral spongiform lobe minute to vestigial, at most represented by a slight apical expansion of the posterior collar; height of anterior face of node greater than length of its dorsum (excluding posterior collar). In dorsal view petiole node broader than long. Disc of postpetiole with weak superficial sculpture, variable in intensity but disc never reticulate-punctate, sometimes almost smooth. Basigastral costulae sharply defined, at least as long as postpetiole disc and usually longer.

Type Material

Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers, queens and males, SURINAM: Paramaribo (G. H. Bunzli) (Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
  • Borgmeier T. 1934. Contribuição para o conhecimento da fauna mirmecológica dos cafezais de Paramaribo, Guiana Holandesa (Hym. Formicidae). Archivos do Instituto de Biologia Vegetal (Rio de Janeiro) 1: 93-111.
  • Brown W. L. Jr. 1962. The neotropical species of the ant genus Strumigenys Fr. Smith: synopsis and keys to the species. Psyche (Cambridge) 69: 238-267.
  • Brown W. L., Jr. 1959. The neotropical species of the ant genus Strumigenys Fr. Smith: group of silvestrii Emery. Studia Entomologica. (n.s.)2: 25-30.
  • Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
  • Kempf W. W. 1961. A survey of the ants of the soil fauna in Surinam (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Studia Entomologica 4: 481-524.
  • Kempf W. W. 1978. A preliminary zoogeographical analysis of a regional ant fauna in Latin America. 114. Studia Entomologica 20: 43-62.
  • Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
  • Lattke J. E., and M. A Riera-Valera. 2012. Diversidad de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) en la hojarasca y suelo de selvas nubladas de la Cordillera de la Costa, Venezuela. Métodos en Ecología y Sistemática 7(1): 20-34.
  • Olson D. M. 1991. A comparison of the efficacy of litter sifting and pitfall traps for sampling leaf litter ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in a tropical wet forest, Costa Rica. Biotropica 23(2): 166-172.
  • Rosa da Silva R. 1999. Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do oeste de Santa Catarina: historico das coletas e lista atualizada das especies do Estado de Santa Catarina. Biotemas 12(2): 75-100.
  • Silva T. S. R., and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. Using controlled vocabularies in anatomical terminology: A case study with Strumigenys (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Arthropod Structure and Development 52: 1-26.
  • Ulyssea M.A., C. E. Cereto, F. B. Rosumek, R. R. Silva, and B. C. Lopes. 2011. Updated list of ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) recorded in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, with a discussion of research advances and priorities. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 55(4): 603-–611.
  • Wild, A. L. "A catalogue of the ants of Paraguay (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Zootaxa 1622 (2007): 1-55.