Strumigenys menueta

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

Nothing is known about the biology of Strumigenys menueta.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the ebbae complex in the Strumigenys koningsbergeri-group. The broad and very obvious mandibular lamella, coupled with the secondary spongiform tissue on the side of the petiole, described above, immediately identify menueta and isolate it from all other members of the ebbae-complex.

Keys including this Species

Key to Strumigenys of East Asia

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia (type locality), Malaysia, Singapore.

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

Nomenclature

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

menueta. Strumigenys menueta Bolton, 2000: 848, fig. 457 (w.) INDONESIA (Sumatra).

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 2.5, HL 0.66, HW 0.54, CI 82, ML 0.26, MI 39, SL 0.32, SI 59, PW 0.31, AL 0.68. With characters of ebbae-complex. Preapical tooth conical and slightly recurved, its length equal to or slightly greater than width of mandible at point where it arises. Inner margin of mandible proximal of preapical tooth with a prominent broad translucent lamella that terminates abruptly just proximal of preapical tooth; lamella broadest at its apical truncation, tapering toward base of mandible. Outer margin of mandible more or less straight (at most only extremely weakly differing from straight) from basal inflection to apicodorsal tooth. Preocular concavity in ventrolateral margin of head vestigial, more a slight narrowing of the margin than a concave impression. Upper scrobe margins evenly divergent and shallowly convex from frontal lobes posteriorly; outer arc of eye visible in full-face view. Dorsum of head in profile with short erect hairs along occipital margin, 1-2 on dorsum of occipital lobe, a single pair close to highest point of vertex and at least a single more lateral pair anterior to this. Pronotum with a single pair of standing hairs, close to anterodorsal margin. Mesonotum with a single pair of erect hairs. Katepisternum smooth, metapleuron and side of propodeum mostly to entirely smooth. Lamella on propodea1 declivity with posterior (free) margin shallowly concave. Petiole in profile with ventral spongiform curtain paralleled on the side by a second, narrower spongiform strip; this strip extends along the ventrolateral margin of the petiole, above the ventral spongiform strip, from about the level of the spiracle to about the ventral midlength of the node. Disc of postpetiole smooth. Standing hairs on first gastral tergite simple. Basigastral costulae much shorter than disc of postpetiole.

Paratypes. TL 2.4-2.5, HL 0.64-0.68, HW 0.52-0.54, CI 78-82, ML 0.25-0.27, MI 38-40, SL 0.32-0.34, SI 59-64, PW 0.30-0.32, AL 0.64-0.68 (6 measured).

Type Material

Holotype worker, Indonesia: Sumatra, Jamhi, W Mt Tujuh Lake, 1400 m., 14.xi.1989, #17 (Agosti, Lobl & Burckhardt) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève).

Paratypes. 9 workers with same data as holotype (MHNG, The Natural History Museum).

References

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 848, fig. 457 worker described)
Musfira, S.H., Rafi, M., Gusti, M., Putri, D.H., Satria, R. 2022. New data on the genus Strumigenys (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Sumatra. Zoosystematica Rossica 31(1): 74–86 (doi:10.31610/zsr/2022.31.1.74).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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