Strumigenys roomi

Strumigenys roomi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. roomi
Binomial name
	Strumigenys roomi; (Bolton, 1972) Specimen Labels

This species has been found in a variety of habitats, including rainforest, cocoa and secondary bush, from collections taken from the soil and ground litter.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the laticeps complex in the Strumigenys argiola group. Apicodorsal mandibular tooth spiniform and very long, much longer than the apicoventral tooth. Mandible with a single small preapical tooth. Dorsal surface of mandible with 2 broad flattened hairs, the proximal of which is much smaller than the distal. Outer pair of strap-like hairs on anterior clypeal margin longer than inner pair. Cephalic dorsum with orbicular hairs absent from the area immediately behind the posterior clypeal margin. Additionally see notes under species-group and under Strumigenys laticeps; for differentiation from Strumigenys mormo see there.

Bolton (1983) - A very conspicuous species, easily separated from both its Afrotropical congeners which have 6-merous antennae by the form of the mandibles and distribution of orbicular hairs on the head. In roomi the mandibular apex terminates dorsally in an elongate spiniform tooth which strongly crosses over its counterpart on the opposite mandible at full closure, and the orbicular hairs do not commence immediately behind the posterior clypeal margin. In both Strumigenys laticeps and Strumigenys tiglath the mandibles do not have an enlarged spiniform tooth at the dorsal mandibular apex and the orbicular hairs commence immediately behind the posterior clypeal margin.

Keys including this Species

Key to Afrotropical Strumigenys (as Pyramica)

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 6.5° to -2.226388889°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Cameroun, Gabon, Ghana (type locality), Ivory Coast.

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

Castes

Nomenclature

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

roomi. Epitritus roomi Bolton, 1972: 206, figs. 3, 4 (w.q.) GHANA. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1672; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 127. See also: Bolton, 1983: 356; Bolton, 2000: 291.

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 1.8-2.1, HL 0.42-0.47, HW 0.54-0.58, CI 120-129, ML 0.15-0.17, MI 35-38, SL 0.25-0.28, SI 45-48, PW 0.32-0.35, AL 0.46-0.52 (7 measured).

Mandibles with a single short recurved pre apical tooth which is situated very close to the apex. Apical armament of mandibular blades consisting of a dorsally situated elongate spiniform tooth, which crosses the opposite mandible at full closure, subtended by an edentate or microscopically serrate lamina and ending ventrally in a denticle. Dorsal surface of each mandibular blade with two large flattened hairs arising on the distal half, the apicalmost hair the largest, the second narrower and tending to be directed towards the midline between the mandibles. Anterior clypeal margin with 4 anteriorly projecting long spatulate or strap-like hairs, the outer pair the longest. A much smaller pair of spatulate hairs also present, projecting forwards from the clypeus between the larger hairs on each side. Clypeus dully shining, equipped with minute appressed spatulate hairs. Remainder of head densely reticulate-punctate and with conspicuous large orbicular hairs. Space on head behind the clypeus free of orbicular hairs, such hairs not commencing immediately behind the posterior clypeal margin. Antennae with 6 segments, the scape with a prominent anteriorly projecting subbasal lobe and fringed with large flattened to spoon-shaped hairs on the leading edges. Alitrunk in dorsal view with a broad but shallow arched impression between pronotum and mesonotum. Propodeum separated from mesonotum by a feebly impressed line. In profile the dorsal outline of the alitrunk is impressed at the promesonotal junction and the mesonotum is convex posterior to this. Propodeum shallowly convex and sloping downwards posteriorly to the broad laminae which border the declivity. Alitrunk everywhere finely and densely reticulate-punctate and dull. Specialized hairs absent from alitrunk but the dorsum, especially on the pronotum, with a scattered stubble of minute simple hairs. Petiole and postpetiole in dorsal view both distinctly broader than long, the latter with a conspicuous median impression. Spongiform appendages restricted to a narrow lamellar strip behind the petiole node, another behind the postpetiole and one across the anterior margin of the postpetiole which is short and restricted to the median concave portion of the margin. In profile the petiole with a narrow ventral carina, the postpetiole with a vestigial ventral lobe and a larger posterolateral lobe. Pedicel segments and first gastral tergite reticulate-punctate to granular, the latter with short feeble basal costulae but equipped with a number of erect clavate hairs. Colour medium brown.

Type Material

Bolton (1983) - Holotype worker and paratype female, GHANA: Eastern Region, Akwapim Dist.,. Mampong, litter sample in cocoa farm, 10.iv.1970 (P. M. Room) (The Natural History Museum) [examined].

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. 1972. Two new species of the ant genus Epitritus from Ghana, with a key to the world species (Hym., Formicidae). Entomol. Mon. Mag. 107:205-208. (page 206, figs. 3, 4 worker, queen described)
Bolton, B. 1983. The Afrotropical dacetine ants (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 46:267-416. (page 356, redescription of worker)
Bolton, B. 1999. Ant genera of the tribe Dacetonini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Nat. Hist. 3 33: 1639-1689 (page 1672, combination in Pyramica)
Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 291, fig. 197 redescription of worker)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Belshaw R., and B. Bolton. 1994. A survey of the leaf litter ant fauna in Ghana, West Africa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3: 5-16.
Bolton B. 1983. The Afrotropical dacetine ants (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 46: 267-416.
Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
Yeo K., S. Konate, S. Tiho, and S. K. Camara. 2011. Impacts of land use types on ant communities in a tropical forest margin (Oumé - Cote d'Ivoire). African Journal of Agricultural Research 6(2): 260-274.
Yeo K., and A. Hormenyo. 2007. A Rapid Survey of Ants in Ajenjua Bepo and Mamang River Forest Reserves, Eastern Region of Ghana. Pp 27-29. In McCullough, J., P. Hoke, P. Naskrecki, and Y. Osei-Owusu (eds.). 2008. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Ajenjua Bepo and Mamang River Forest Reserves, Ghana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 50. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.