Strumigenys loveridgei

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Strumigenys loveridgei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Strumigenys
Species: S. loveridgei
Binomial name
Strumigenys loveridgei
(Brown, 1953)

The holotype, collected from a snail shell, has remained as the lone specimen of this species.

Identification

A member of the Strumigenys loveridgei -group.

Bolton (1983) - Known only from the holotype worker, the Malawian loveridgei is closest related to the West African sistrurus and crypturus. In the worker they are quickly separated by the following characters.

loveridgei sistrura and cryptura
Mandibles with 3 apical denticles sharing a common base. Mandibles with 2 apical denticles sharing a common base.
Mesonotum densely punctate. Mesonotum mostly or wholly smooth.
Petiole node dorsally much broader than long, the surface smooth. Petiole node dorsally only marginally broader than long, the surface sculptured.
Disc of postpetiole in dorsal view with thick spongiform material posterolaterally, fading out to nothing anteriorly. Disc of postpetiole in dorsal view with thick spongiform material visible all along the sides.
Basal transverse lamellate strip of first gastral tergite narrow and interrupted medially. Basal transverse lamellate strip of first gastral tergite broad, shallowly concave medially but not interrupted.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Malawi (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

Brown (1953) - Holotype worker a unique [MCZ] found dead in a small snail shell collected at 5000 feet on the east side of the Nyika Plateau, above Nchenachena, Northern Nyasaland, by Mr. Arthur Loveridge of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. The shell, when first examined by Dr. J. C. Bequaert in the Museum, was seen to contain dried earth and the damaged body of a small black tetramoriine ant, probably Xiphomyrmex. Upon carlessly crushing the shell with my finger, I noticed the present specimen in the deeper recesses of the shell.

Castes

Nomenclature

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

  • loveridgei. Codiomyrmex loveridgei Brown, 1953g: 21 (w.) MALAWI. Combination in Glamyromyrmex: Bolton, 1983: 328; in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1672; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 122. See also: Bolton, 2000: 309.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (1983) - TL 2.2, HL 0.54, HW 0.39, CI 72, ML 0.11, MI 20, SL 0.22, SI 56, PW 0.27, AL 0.54.

Mandibles with a broad basal lamella which is followed without a diastema by 5 enlarged teeth and an apical series of 3 denticles which share a common base. Upper and lower mandibular margins in profile strongly divergent from base to apex, the apical (masticatory) margin a strongly down curved arch but the dorsal mandibular border not upcurved beyond the level of the anterior clypeal margin. In full-face view the anterior clypeal margin shallowly convex; posteriorly the clypeus narrowing to the frontal lobes and the preocular laminae visible. Upper scrobe margins divergent posteriorly from the small frontal lobes, not strongly expanded laterally. Behind the level of the scrobes the sides shallowly convex and rounding into the more or less transverse occipital border. Eyes small, situated on the ventral scrobe margin. Antennal scapes slightly curved and feebly clavate, the leading edge lacking long projecting hairs but with numerous fine apically directed simple decumbent hairs. Clypeal dorsum densely clothed with elongate flattened scale-like hairs which are directed forwards and are closely appressed to the surface. Remainder of cephalic dorsum with decumbent fine dense anteriorly arched simple hairs. Close behind the clypeal posterior margin the hairs are intermediate in shape between the scale-like clypeal pilosity and the simple cephalic hairs, being narrowly spatulate or feebly clavate apically. A laterally projecting long flagellate hair present at the apex of the antennal scrobe on each side and another at each occipital corner. Clypeus shiny and very smooth, the remainder of the head densely reticulate-punctate. Anterior border of pronotum marginate, the pronotal sides bluntly marginate posteriorly but the sides broadly rounding into the dorsum anteriorly. Mesonotum not and propodeum only weakly laterally marginate. On the dorsum the mesonotum and propodeum separated only by a change of sculpture, without a transverse ridge or crest. In profile the metanotal groove absent, the propodeal teeth triangular and confluent with the conspicuous infradental lamellae. Sides of alitrunk unsculptured except for a few strong punctures anteriorly on the pronotum and feeble peripheral sculpture dorsally and posteriorly. Dorsal surfaces of pronotum and propodeum smooth and shiny, the mesonotum densely punctate. A pair of long fine subflagellate hairs present at the pronotal humeri, and another pair on the mesonotum; otherwise the dorsal alitrunk only with scattered fine hairs which are decumbent to appressed and directed approximately towards the midline. Spongiform appendages of pedicel segments conspicuously developed in profile. In dorsal view the petiole node much broader than long, with a pair of small lateral spongiform lobes connected across the posterior margin of the node by a vestigial lamellar strip. Postpetiole in dorsal view with a narrow lamella bordering the anterior margin, the lateral spongiform tissue broad behind but fading out anteriorly; the posterior margin only with a narrow transverse lamellar strip joining the two posterolateral spongiform masses. First gastral tergite basally with a narrow transverse strip of spongy lamellar tissue which is concave and interrupted medially. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole smooth; first gastral tergite with basal costulae dense on each side of a median strip where they are short and sparse. Simple fine standing hairs present on dorsal surfaces of petiole, postpetiole and first gastral tergite together with shorter sparse decumbent to appressed simple hairs. Colour brown.

Type Material

Bolton (1983) - Holotype worker, MALAWI: N. Prov., Nyika Plateau, above Nchenachena, 5000 ft (1524 m), 1948 (A. Loveridge) (Museum of Comparative Zoology) [examined].

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
  • Brown W. L., Jr. 1953. Revisionary studies in the ant tribe Dacetini. Am. Midl. Nat. 50: 1-137.
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