Strumigenys charino

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

This species has been collected from the litter of rainforest and montane forest.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the abdera complex in the Strumigenys arnoldi-group. Within the arnoldi-group with 6 antennal segments, charino is separated from all other members by having: 1. Cephalic dorsum posterior of clypeal margin with rows of spoon-shaped hairs on anterior two thirds. 2. Pronotal humeri and mesonotum without erect hairs. 3. Base of first gastral tergite with a continuous row of well developed basal costulae. 4. Lamella of propodeal declivity very narrow in profile, approximately equal to width of eye.

Keys including this Species

Key to Malagasy Strumigenys

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -16.21667° to -16.21667°.


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.

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Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb


Holotype of Strumigenys charino. Worker. Specimen code casent0005506. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MCZ, Cambridge, MA, USA.


Paratype of Strumigenys charino. Worker. Specimen code casent0005507. 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.

charino. Strumigenys charino Fisher, in Bolton, 2000: 630 (w.) 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 1.8, HL 0.44, HW 0.39, CI 89, ML 0.17, MI 38, SL 0.21, SI 54, PW 0.26, AL 0.47. Characters of abdera-complex. Right mandible with a spiniform preapical tooth; left mandible with a spiniform preapical tooth proximally and a minute distal preapical denticle. Cephalic dorsum posterior of clypeal margin with rows of spoon-shaped hairs on anterior two thirds; upper scrobe margin with spoon-shaped hairs. Cephalic dorsum with a transverse row of 4 erect, short clavate hairs near occipital margin. Pronotal humeral hair absent; mesonotum without standing hairs. Dorsum of alitrunk with short spatulate ground-pilosity. In profile, promesonotal dorsum very shallowly convex; propodeal dorsum more or less flat anteriorly, sloping posteriorly to the declivity and rounding into the sides. Propodeal tooth a small denticle incorporated in the very narrow lamella; in profile, width of lamella approximately the width of eye. Ventral spongiform tissue well developed and conspicuous on petiole and postpetiole. Base of first gastral tergite with a continuous row of well developed basal costulae. Color dull yellow to pale brown.

Paratypes. TL 1.8, HL 0.42-0.44, HW 0.38-0.40, CI 91-93, ML 0.16-0.17, MI 39-41, SL 0.20-0.22, SI 50-57, PW 0.24-0.26, AL 0.45-0.46 (3 measured). As holotype.

Measurements of non-paratypic material extends the range shown by the type-series: HL 0.45-0.48, HW 0.43-0.45, CI 95-96, ML 0.17-0.19, MI 38-40, SL 0.23-0.25, SI 53-56 (3 measured).

Type Material

Holotype worker, Madagascar: Fotodriana, Cap Masoala, 25 m., 15°41'49"S, 50°16'13"E, 27.xi.1993, rainforest, Winkler app. 160.13981w (G. D. Alpert) (Museum of Comparative Zoology).

Paratypes. 1 worker with same data as holotype but coded 160.13982w; 2 workers (one with gaster missing) with same data as holotype but coded 160.3635w, 160.3636w and labeled lowland rainforest (Alpert et al.) (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 630, worker described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Blaimer B. B., S. G. Brady, T. R. Schultz, and B. L. Fisher. 2015. Fucntional and phylogenetic approaches reveal the evolution of diversity in a hyper diverse biota. Ecography 38: 001-012.
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.