Strumigenys mumfordi

Strumigenys mumfordi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. mumfordi
Binomial name
	Strumigenys mumfordi; Wheeler, W.M., 1932 Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of Strumigenys mumfordi.

Identification

A member of the Strumigenys capitata-group.

Keys including this Species

Key to Strumigenys of East Asia (as Pyramica)

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -8.867° to -17.633°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: French Polynesia (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.

mumfordi. Strumigenys (Cephaloxys) inezi subsp. mumfordi Wheeler, W.M. 1932c: 160 (w.) FRENCH POLYNESIA (Marquesas Is). Combination in Smithistruma: Brown, 1948e: 105; in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673. Raised to species: Brown, 1953g: 124; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 124. See also: Brown, 1964a: 195; Bolton, 2000: 401.

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

Bolton (2000) - Of the two known specimens previously assigned to this species Brown (1964) pointed out that the postpetiole and gaster of the Ooumu worker are missing. Most of the dorsal alitrunk of the Uapou (lectotype) worker is obscured by a large blob of glue; in fact, both specimens are not in the best condition. However, as Brown indicated, the distribution of standing hairs on the head of the Ooumu worker is as usual for the capitata-group, whereas in the Uapou specimen (not seen by Brown) the anterior pair of hairs is absent but the head does not show any signs of abrasion. Beside this, the measurements given by Brown show that the Ooumu worker is considerably larger than the Uapou specimen.

	Oomu worker	Uapou (lectotype) worker
HL	0.69	0.58
HW	0.52	0.45
AL	0.70	0.58

I therefore suspect that the two are not conspecific and hereby nominate the Uapou specimen as lectotype of mumfordi, excluding the Ooumu specimen from the type-series. S. mumfordi has the apicoscrobal hairs weakly clavate apically. These contrast strongly with the pronotal humeral hairs, which are long and flagellate. Coupled with this the anterior pair of standing hairs on the cephalic dorsum is absent, though the occipital transverse row of four standing hairs is present and distinct. Within the capitata-group this combination of characters is shared only with the West Malaysian vescops. The two are easily separated as in vescops the eye is minute (only 1-2 ommatidia) and the pleurae and side of the propodeum are smooth and shining. In mumfordi the eye has numerous ommatidia and the metapleuron and sides of the propodeum are reticulate-punctate.

Description

Worker

Length about 1 mm. Even smaller than the variety taipingensis (=Strumigenys dohertyi) from Malacca, but very similar in form and proportions. Erect club-shaped hairs on the abdomen longer; head covered with evenly-spaced, white, squamiform hairs, which are decidedly coarser than those on the clypeus. Gaster shagreened, only slightly shining, the basal half of the first segment dark brown.

Type Material

Bolton (2000) - LECTOTYPE worker (by present designation), MARQUESAS IS: Uapou, Hakahetau Valley, 2500 ft, 8.xii.1929 (A. M. Adamson) (Bernice P. Bishop Museum) [examined]. [Note that the second specimen mentioned by Wheeler (not seen, discussed by Brown, 1964: 195) from Nukuhiva, Ooumu, 4050 ft (Mumford & Adamson) (BPBM), is excluded from the type-series.]

References

Baroni Urbani, C. and 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. 1999. Ant genera of the tribe Dacetonini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Nat. Hist. 3 33: 1639-1689 (page 1673, combination in Pyramica)
Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 401, redescription of worker)
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1953g. Revisionary studies in the ant tribe Dacetini. Am. Midl. Nat. 50: 1-137 (page 124, combination in Smithistruma, raised to species)
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1964b. The ant genus Smithistruma: a first supplement to the World revision (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 89: 183-200 (page 195, catalogue)
Wheeler, W. M. 1932e. Ants of the Marquesas Islands. Bull. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 98: 155-163 (page 160, worker described)
Wilson, E. O.; Taylor, R. W. 1967b. The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pac. Insects Monogr. 14: 1-109 (page 36, catalogue)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Brown W. L. 1964. The ant genus Smithistruma: a first supplement to the world revision (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 89: 183-200.
Brown W. L., Jr. 1953. Revisionary studies in the ant tribe Dacetini. Am. Midl. Nat. 50: 1-137.
Morrison L. W; 2008. Patterns of nestedness in remote Polynesian ant faunas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pacific Science 62(1): 117-127.
Morrison LW. 2008. Patterns of nestedness in remote Polynesian ant faunas. Pacific Science 62(1):117-127.
Perrault G.H. 1988. Les fourmis de Tahiti. Bull. Soc. Zool. France 112(3-4): 430-446.
Ramage T. 2014. Les fourmis de Polynesie francaise (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France 119 (2): 145-176.
Wheeler W.M. 1935. Check list of the ants of Oceania. Occasional Papers of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum 11(11):1-56.
Wheeler, William Morton. 1932. Ants of the Marquesas Islands. Bernice P. Bishop Museum-Bulletin. 98:155-63
Wilson E. O.; Taylor, R. W. 1967. The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pacific Insects Monograph 14:1-109.
Wilson EO, Taylor RW. 1967. The ants of Polynesia. Pacific Insects Monograph 14:1-109.