Strumigenys mira

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

The types were collected from Lottering Forest Reserve in South Africa.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys oxysma-group. The unique specimen of this species is the most derived member of the oxysma-group known to date. The recurved clypeal hairs are very fine and inconspicuous in full-face view, with none projecting laterally across the base of the mandibles. S. mira is the only member of the group with straight hairs that project from the leading edge of the scape at right-angles to its long axis. These two characters, combined with the minute eye and long flagellate hairs that project from the tibiae and basitarsi, render mira very distinct from other members of the group. Only Strumigenys sardonica approaches mira in fineness and density of clypeal pilosity, but sardonica lacks the specialised characters of mira just mentioned and has the clypeal disc unsculptured, which in mira is finely sculptured and dull.

Keys including this Species

Key to Afrotropical Strumigenys (as Pyramica)

Distribution

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.

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.

mira. Pyramica mira Bolton, 2000: 324 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 124

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 2.2, HL 0.54, HW 0.40, CI 74, ML 0.12, MI 22, SL 0.27, SI 68, PW 0.24, AL 0.56. Margins of clypeus in full-face view with a few fine anteriorly curved short simple hairs; without distinctly recurved hairs that project laterally. Dorsum of clypeus with erect slender hairs that are filiform or feebly clavate apically. Those near the anterior and anterolateral margins are recurved, those situated on the disc arch medially and slightly posteriorly. Hairs on dorsum of head filiform and truncated apically, in profile they curve anteriorly in the area above and behind the frontal lobes, curve medially from there to the highest point of the vertex, and curve anteriorly behind this point. Just in front of the occipital margin is a transverse row of much longer erect filiform hairs that curve weakly forward . Dorsolateral margin of head with two long flagellate hairs, one apicoscrobal the other closer to the occipital corner. Leading edge of scape with a spaced row of anteriorly projecting simple hairs, of which the three longest each arise from a small tumulus. Eye minute and difficult to see, composed of only one or two small inconspicuous ommatidia. Pronotal dorsum weakly marginate laterally, with a few vestigial longitudinal costulae on each side of the median carina; pronotum mostly shining but with vestigial superficial reticulate ground-sculpture. Mesonotum reticulate-punctate, propodeum smooth and sharply marginate laterally. Dorsal (outer) surface of middle and hind tibiae and basitarsi each with one or two long flagellate hairs that are very much longer than the maximum width of the segment from which they arise. Transverse posterior collar of petiole lamellate rather than spongiform. Disc of postpetiole in dorsal view surrounded laterally with dense spongiform tissue, the latter absent from the posterior margin.

Type Material

Holotype worker, South Africa: South Cape Prov., Tsitsikama, Lottering For. Res., 12.xii.1979, E-Y 1419, sifting (S. Endrody-Younga) (Transvaal 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 324, worker described)
Chaul, J.C.M. 2023. A new ant species of Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Brazilian atlantic forest. Taxonomy 2023, 2, 221–231 (doi:10.3390/taxonomy3020016).
Franco, W., Ladino, N., Delabie, J.H.C., Dejean, A., Orivel, J., Fichaux, M., Groc, S., Leponce, M., Feitosa, R.M. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674, 509–543 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4674.5.2).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65