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Strumigenys marleyi
| Strumigenys marleyi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Strumigenys |
| Species: | S. marleyi |
| Binomial name | |
| Strumigenys marleyi Arnold, 1914 | |
This species is only known from the type collection. It was made from the nest of Pheidole punctulata by Arnold.
Identification
Bolton (1983) - A member of the Strumigenys marleyi-group. Together with Strumigenys pallestes, marleyi forms a close species-pair characterized by their broad-based mandibles, distinctive apical mandibular armament, complete set of preapical teeth, relatively large eyes, absence of a preocular notch and completely reticulate-punctate sides to the alitrunk. The following characters separate the two species.
| pallestes | marleyi |
| HW 0.38-0.44, HL 0.52-0.58. | HW 0.48-0.50, HL 0.62-0.66. |
| Pronotal humeri with a single straight hair which is clavate apically and is directed laterally. | Pronotal humeri without projecting hairs of any description. |
| Promesonotum at each side bordered by a longitudinal row of 4-5 short clavate standing hairs. | Promesonotum not bordered by a row of standing hairs. |
| Metanotal groove not impressed. | Metanotal groove feebly impressed. |
| Dorsum of petiole node weakly transversely striate. | Dorsum of petiole node punctate. |
| Pronotal dorsum with longitudinal rugular sculpture. | Pronotal dorsum reticulate-punctate, without rugular sculpture. |
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -29.76667° to -29.76667°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa (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. |
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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
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- marleyi. Strumigenys havilandi r. marleyi Arnold, 1914: 31, fig. 10 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Raised to species: Arnold, 1926: 286. See also: Brown, 1954k: 25; Bolton, 1983: 378; Bolton, 2000: 599.
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 2.4-2.5, HL 0.62-0.66, HW 0.48-0.50, CI 75-77, ML 0.22-0.24, MI 35-37, SL 0.30-0.32, SI 60-63, PW 0.28-0.31, AL 0.62-0.66 (2 measured).
Mandibles in full-face view broad basally and narrowing to the apex, with an exaggerated basal external angle and with a basal internal rounded lamina, both of which serve to increase the basal width of the blades. Apical fork of left mandible without intercalary teeth but the lower spiniform fork tooth with an adventitious tooth arising from its ventral basal surface which is about half the length of the lower fork tooth, and with a minute denticle between this adventitious tooth and the lower fork tooth. Apical armament of right mandible as left but the minute denticle may be absent. Both mandibular blades with 2 preapical teeth set close to the apex, the proximal of these larger than the distal. Upper scrobe margins shallowly convex and divergent from just behind the frontal lobes. Preocular notch absent. Eyes large, their maximum diameter distinctly greater than the maximum width of the scape. Ventral surface of head without a preocular transverse groove or impression. Antennal scapes weakly curved in the basal third, broadest at about the midlength, the leading edge shallowly convex and with a series of apically curved spoon-shaped hairs. Dorsal surfaces of scapes with numerous short spatulate to narrowly spoon-shaped hairs present. In full-face view the cephalic dorsum densely clothed with conspicuous short scale-like to spoon-shaped hairs which are curved anteriorly; those hairs bordering the upper scrobe margins no larger than those on the dorsum. Cephalic dorsum without simple standing hairs of any description. Head finely but sharply punctate everywhere. Pronotal humeri without projecting hairs of any. description, the mesonotum without standing hairs. Dorsal alitrunk only with short hairs similar to but sparser than those on the head. In profile the pronotum and mesonotum forming a single even convexity, the posterior portion of the mesonotum not suddenly depressed. Metanotal groove present across the dorsum as a very feebly impressed line, the impression visible in profile but extremely shallow and narrow. Propodeal teeth broad, laminar and confluent through most of their length with the broad sinuate infradental lamellae, both the teeth and the laminae appearing reticulate or even spongiform. Entirety of sides and dorsum of alitrunk densely punctate to reticulate-punctate. Spongiform appendages of pedicel segments strongly developed. Ventral appendage of petiole in profile deeper than the depth of the peduncle at its mid length and abruptly truncated posteriorly, the end of the spongiform appendage occurring directly below the highest point of the node. Lateral spongiform lobe of petiole large. Ventral spongiform lobe of postpetiole in profile large, its area distinctly greater than the exposed area of the postpetiolar disc. Lateral postpetiolar lobe almost as large as the ventral. Petiole node punctate dorsally, the postpetiole smooth. Posterior face of petiole node bordered by a translucent lamella. Postpetioiar disc in dorsal view with projecting spongiform tissue present all down the sides, posteriorly with a narrow translucent laminar strip. Base of first gastral tergite with a narrow laminar transverse strip, the basigastral costulae radiating from the lateral portions of this strip, on each side of a central clear area. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster with numerous stout standing hairs which are thickened apically. Colour yellowish brown.
Type Material
Bolton (1983) - Syntype workers, SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, Durban, ii.1914, ‘in nest of Pheidole punctulata’ (F. B. Marley) (South African Museum) [examined].
References
- Arnold, G. 1914. Nest-changing migrations of two species of ants. Proc. Trans. Rhod. Sci. Assoc. 13: 25-32.
- Arnold, G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 14: 271-402 (page 378, redescription of worker)
- Arnold, G. 1926. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Appendix. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 23: 191-295 (page 286, raised to species)
- Bolton, B. 1983. The Afrotropical dacetine ants (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 46:267-416. (page 378, redescription of worker)
- Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 599, redescription of worker)
- Brown, W. L., Jr. 1954k. The ant genus Strumigenys Fred. Smith in the Ethiopian and Malagasy regions. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 112: 1-34 (page 25, redescription of worker)
- Emery, C. 1924f [1922]. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [concl.]. Genera Insectorum 174C: 207-397 (page 320, catalogue)
- Wheeler, W. M. 1922j. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 711-1004 (page 918, catalogue)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Arnold G. 1917. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part III. Myrmicinae. Annals of the South African Museum. 14: 271-402.
- Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
- Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004