Strumigenys hyalina

Strumigenys hyalina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. hyalina
Binomial name
	Strumigenys hyalina; (Bolton, 2000) Specimen Label

Nothing is known about the biology of Strumigenys hyalina.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys rostrata-group. Some Ohio and Indiana samples were previously included in Strumigenys abdita (Brown, 1953a:90) and a Mississippi worker had been misidentified as Strumigenys bunki. The confusion of this species with abdita was almost certainly based on observation of the striking clypeal pilosity which both possess, and the fact that both had been found at the same locality (Catawba Beach). However, abdita belongs to the pulchella-group and has only 4 strong principal basal teeth on the mandible. Confusion with bunki, which belongs in the same group as hyalina, probably depended upon the presence of a mandibular diastema, but the diastema in bunki is short (less than length of basal tooth), whereas in hyalina it is definitely longer (greater than length of basal tooth). Also, bunki lacks apicoscrobal and mesonotal flagellate hairs, features that are immediately obvious in hyalina.

Apart from the long-diastemate, small-toothed mandible and distribution of flagellate hairs, the most striking feature of hyalina is its clypeal pilosity, not duplicated anywhere else in the group. The closest relative of hyalina yet found is certainly Strumigenys chiricahua, known from a single specimen from Arizona. This shares the long mandibular diastema but has a very different dental array. This, plus the other key characters and those noted above under the discussion of chiricahua, will differentiate the two species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 33.5125° to 30.535°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (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

Queen

Images from AntWeb


Paratype of Strumigenys hyalina. Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0104924. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by USNM, Washington, DC, USA.

Nomenclature

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

hyalina. Pyramica hyalina Bolton, 2000: 128 (w.q.) U.S.A. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 121

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 2.0, HL 0.55, HW 0.39, CI 71, ML 0.09, MI 16, SL 0.30, SI 77, PW 0.26, AL 0.52. Fully closed mandible with a distinct basal gap that is longer than the basal tooth . Teeth of principal basal row small and narrow, the first (basal) tooth two times longer than the second; tooth 3 equal in length to 1 or slightly longer; tooth 4 shorter than 3 (about same length as tooth 2); tooth 5 longer than 4. Anterior clypeal margin transverse or very shallowly convex. Dorsum of clypeus with numerous very broadly spatulate or spoon-shaped hairs which are strongly curved and in full-face view appear scale-like; they are translucent at high magnification. Lateral clypeal margins with a fringe of anteriorly curved hairs that are very broadly spatulate or spoon-shaped and very conspicuous. Ground-pilosity of head immediately behind clypeus the same shape and almost as broad as that on clypeus, but more posteriorly on the vertex the hairs become finer, longer, narrower and much more erect. Apicoscrobal hair very long and extremely finely flagellate. Cephalic dorsum with at least one pair of flagellate or looped hairs, located close to the occipital margin. Pronotal humeri each with an extremely long fine flagellate hair; pronotal dorsum and mesonotum each with a pair of long fine flagellate hairs. One or 2 flagellate hairs project from dorsal (outer) surface of hind tibia and basitarsus.

Paratypes. TL 1.9-2.0, HL 0.52-0.54, HW 0.37-0.38, CI 70-71, ML 0.09, MI 16-17, SL 0.28-0.30, SI 76-77, PW 0.23-0.25, AL 0.50-0.52 (3 measured). One paratype has a minute adventitious denticle proximal of the first (basal) tooth).

Type Material

Holotype worker, U.S.A.: Ohio, Catawba Beach , 18.viii.1938, no. 171 (M.E. Amstutz) (Museum of Comparative Zoology; holotype is top worker on a pin of 3).

Paratypes. 3 workers and 1 queen (2 workers are middle and bottom specimens on same pin as holotype) with same data as holotype; 1 worker, Ohio, Catawba Beach, 18.viii.1935 (M. Talbot); 1 worker Mississippi, Oktibbeha Co., Noxubee Ref., 21.vii.1981, berlese litter, hardwood forest (R.L. Brown) (MCZ, National Museum of Natural History, The Natural History Museum).

References

Baroni Urbani, C. & De Andrade, M.L. 2007. The ant tribe Dacetini: limits and constituent genera, with descriptions of new species. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “G. Doria” 99:1-191.
Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 128, worker described)
Booher, D.B. 2021. The ant genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in western North America north of Mexico. Zootaxa 5061, 201–248 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.1).
Ivanov, K. 2019. The ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): an updated checklist. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 70: 65–87 (doi:10.3897@jhr.70.35207).
MacGown, J.A., Booher, D., Richter, H., Wetterer, J.K., Hill, J.G. 2021. An updated list of ants of Alabama (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with new state records. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 147: 961-981 (doi:10.3157/061.147.0409).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Colby, D. and D. Prowell. 2006. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Wet Longleaf Pine Savannas in Louisiana. Florida Entomologist 89(2):266-269
Dash S. T. and L. M. Hooper-Bui. 2008. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Louisiana. Conservation Biology and Biodiversity. 101: 1056-1066
Ivanov K. 2015. Checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Ohio. Conference: Ohio Natural History Conference, At Columbus OH
Ivanov, K. 2019. The ants of Ohio (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): an updated checklist. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 70: 65–87.
Ivanov K., L. Hightower, S. T. Dash, and J. B. Keiper. 2019. 150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA. Zootaxa 4554 (2): 532–560.
MacGown J. A., J. G. Hill, R. L. Brown, T. L. Schiefer, J. G. Lewis. 2012. Ant diversity at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Oktibbeha, Noxubee, and Winston Counties, Mississippi. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Bulletin 1197: 1-30
MacGown, J.A., J.G. Hill, R.L. Brown and T.L. 2009. Ant Diversity at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Oktibbeha, Noxubee, and Winston Counties, Mississippi Report #2009-01. Schiefer. 2009.