Strumigenys frivaldszkyi group

Strumigenys frivaldszkyi group Bolton (2000)

Species

Malesian-Oriental-East Palaeartic

Worker Diagnosis

Apical fork of mandible of 2 spiniform teeth; 1 small intercalary tooth present, may be subtended by a minute denticle. A single preapical tooth present near the apex, dentiform to spiniform. Mandible with outer margin shallowly convex. MI 47-53.

Anterior clypeal margin transverse or nearly so, without a narrow U-shaped or V-shaped median notch or impression.

Scape slender, subcylindrical and moderately long, SI 71-82.

Apical antennomere strongly constricted basally and narrowly articulated with the preapical; apical antennomere spindle-shaped, the preapical frequently barrel-shaped.

Ventrolateral margin of head without a preocular notch or impression. With head in profile the dorsal and ventral outlines without impressions except for the postbuccal groove.

Propodeal declivity with a narrow and inconspicuous lamella, the posterior (free) margin of which is concave and closely parallels the shape of the margin of the declivity.

Spongiform appendages of waist segments all present.

Pilosity. Dorsolateral margin of head with one or two freely laterally projecting flagellate hairs. Cephalic dorsum with a single pair of short flagellate hairs that straddle the midline close to occipital margin; dorsum anterior to this without standing hairs. Pronotal humeral hair present and flagellate hair but pronotal dorsum otherwise lacking standing hairs. Mesonotum with 1 pair of erect flagellate hairs. Dorsal (outer) surface of hind basitarsus with 1-2 long erect flagellate hairs; hind tibia may also have a similar hair. First gastral tergite with flagellate hairs near base and at apex, the space between these usually hairless. Ground-pilosity on head (and usually also on promesonotum) short, slender and closely applied to surface, but usually quite dense and conspicuous.

Sculpture. Head, alitrunk and petiole entirely densely finely reticulate-punctate or with smooth patches on pleurae. Disc of postpetiole finely punctulate, longitudinally costulate, or both; disc never entirely smooth and shining. Gaster unsculptured except for basigastral costulae, which may be short.

Notes

The three species of this group are small, restricted to New Guinea and nearby islands, and resemble members of the mayri group except for the shape of the anterior clypeal margin.

In the frivaldszkyi-group the clypeal margin is transverse or nearly so, whereas in the mayri-group it has a narrow U-shaped or V-shaped median notch or impression.

References

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028.