Strumigenys ecliptacoca

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Strumigenys ecliptacoca
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species: S. ecliptacoca
Binomial name
Strumigenys ecliptacoca
Brown, 1958

Strumigenys ecliptacoca casent0217950 p 1 high.jpg

Strumigenys ecliptacoca casent0217950 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Strumigenys ecliptacoca.

Identification

Bolton (2000) – A member of the feae complex in the Strumigenys mayri-group. See Strumigenys leptorhina.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea (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

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Strumigenys ecliptacoca casent0900842 h 1 high.jpgStrumigenys ecliptacoca casent0900842 p 1 high.jpgStrumigenys ecliptacoca casent0900842 d 1 high.jpgStrumigenys ecliptacoca casent0900842 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype of Strumigenys ecliptacocaWorker. Specimen code casent0900842. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

  • ecliptacoca. Strumigenys ecliptacoca Brown, 1958i: 111 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA. See also: Bolton, 2000: 880.

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 2.5-2.6, HL 0.66-0.70, HW 0.42-0.45, CI 64-65, ML 0.33-0.36, MI 50-51, SL 0.46-0.48, SI 102-107, PW 0.24-0.28, AL 0.67-0.74 (3 measured).

Characters of the feae-complex. Preapical tooth spiniform and feebly curved, its length about twice the maximum width of the mandible. Outer margin of mandible in full-face view extremely shallowly convex from close to base to level of preapical tooth. Upper scrobe margin with two freely laterally projecting simple, non-flagellate hairs, the posterior in the apicoscrobal position. Cephalic dorsum with 4-6 erect stiff simple hairs along the occipital margin, a similar pair present at highest point of vertex. Ventrolateral margin of head may have a short shallow concavity immediately in front of eye but there is no well defined preocular notch. Maximum diameter of eye distinctly greater than maximum width of scape. Scrobe shallow and poorly defined behind level of eye. Pronotal humeral hair stiff and simple, not flagellate. Dorsal alitrunk without standing hairs except for a short mesonotal pair. Dorsal surfaces of waist segments and first gastral tergite with simple hairs. Pleurae and side of propodeum smooth; dorsal alitrunk with pronotum and propodeum mostly to entirely smooth, mesonotum feebly punctate. Propodeum without teeth, the angle between dorsum and declivity with only a pair of minute triangular tubercles; declivity without a lamella. Dorsal (outer) surfaces of hind basitarsus and hind tibia without erect long hairs of any form; dorsum of hind femur without erect long hairs. Petiole in profile subclavate, anterior face of node only slightly more strongly inclined than peduncle and rounding broadly into the dorsum. Lateral spongiform lobe of petiole low on side posteriorly, small and rounded; node without a posterior spongiform transverse collar. Disc of postpetiole smooth and shining. Basigastral costulae subequal to length of postpetiole.

Queen

Brown (1958) - Paratypes, 2 dealates from type nest: WE, 3.3-3.3, HE 0.73-0.74, ME 0.36-0.36, WL 0.85-0.86; CI 68-67, MI 49-49, respectively. Showing the usual caste differences or he genus. Propodeal teeth low, subtriangular, but definitely dentiform. Mesonotum evenly punctulate, with a few fine erect hairs. Infradental lamellae present as fine lines or low carinae. Side sclerites of alitrunk largely smooth and shining, as is propodeal declivity; dorsum of alitrunk completely punctulate. Basal gastric costulae relatively stronger and longer than in worker. Color slightly darker and more brownish.

Type Material

Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, paratype workers and queens, INDONESIA: Irian Jaya, Camp 1., i.1939, Netherlands Indies-American New Guinea Expedition (Third Archbold Expedition) 1938-39, 1800 m. (J. L. Toxopeus) (BZB, Museum of Comparative Zoology, California Academy of Sciences) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Brown W. L., Jr. 1958. The Indo-Australian species of the ant genus Strumigenys Fr. Smith: S. decollata Mann and S. ecliptacoca new species. Psyche (Camb.) 64: 109-114.
  • 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.