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Strumigenys sharra
| Strumigenys sharra | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Strumigenys |
| Species: | S. sharra |
| Binomial name | |
| Strumigenys sharra (Bolton, 1983)
| |
Known from a few forest litter-samples.
Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the chyatha complex in the Strumigenys emarginata group. Characters of chyatha-complex. Clypeal dorsum densely clothed with large suborbicular hairs; similar hairs evenly distributed over cephalic dorsum behind clypeus and sparsely represented on dorsal alitrunk. In the group this pilosity is duplicated only in Strumigenys cavinasis.
Bolton (1983) - The closest relative of shara is Strumigenys cavinasis which shares the remarkable dense suborbicular pilosity. They can be separated by the following differences:
| cavinasis | sharra |
| Head absolutely and relatively shorter, HL 0.52-0.56, CI 63-67. | Head absolutely and relatively longer, HL 0.58-0.64, CI 56-63. |
| Antennal scapes absolutely and relatively shorter, SL 0.22-0.26, SI 63-70. | Antennal scapes absolutely and relatively longer, SL 0·26-0.28, SI 73-78. |
| Posterior margin of postpetiole disc without a row of spatulate to squamate hairs on each side of the midline. | Posterior margin of postpetiolar disc with now of 5-6 spatulate to squamate hairs on each side of the midline which project backward over the spongiform strip. |
| Simple elongate hairs present on the postpetiolar disc. | Simple elongate hairs absent from the postpetiolar disc. |
| Simple elongate hairs present on the basal portion of the first gastral tergite. | Simple elongate hairs absent from the basal portion of the first gastral tergite. |
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 6.216666698° to -2.283333333°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Angola, Cameroun, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast (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
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Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- sharra. Smithistruma sharra Bolton, 1983: 295, fig. 3 (w.q.) IVORY COAST. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 127. See also: Bolton, 2000: 305.
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 2.1, HL 0.62, HW 0.38, CI 61, ML 0.06, MI 10, SL 0.28, SI 74, PW 0.24, AL 0.60.
Mandibles with 5 relatively strong teeth following the basal lamella without a diastema. Distal to these main teeth are two slightly smaller teeth, followed by 4 minute denticles and an apical small tooth. Anterior clypeal margin strongly and evenly concave, the concavity involving the entire border between the anterolateral angles. Lateral margins of clypeus feebly convex and convergent anteriorly, fringed with a continuous series of large flattened spatulate to spoon-shaped hairs which project freely and are curved anteriorly. Anterior clypeal margin with a row of 6 broadly scale-like to suborbicular hairs which project out over the mandibles. Dorsum of clypeus and remainder of head densely covered with broadly scale-like to suborbicular hairs which are densest on the clypeus; such hairs also fringe the lateral borders of the head in full-face view. Flagellate hairs or other pilosity absent. Pre ocular laminae broad in full-face view and somewhat divergent anteriorly. Antennal scapes narrow basally, bent at about the basal quarter and suddenly broadened, broadest at about this level and the leading edge evenly rounded with a narrow prominent lamina. Dorsal surface of scape with scale-like hairs but leading edge with a series of freely projecting longer narrower hairs, the longest of which occurs at about the broadest part of the scape. Eyes of moderate size, about 0.11 x HW, smaller than the maximum width of the scape. Dorsum of clypeus and area immediately posterior to it very finely reticulate-punctate, with a granular appearance. Remainder of dorsum similarly sculptured but also with scattered very short low rugulae. Dorsal alitrunk with scattered but conspicuous scale-like hairs, which are also conspicuous on the petiole and postpetiole, though averaging smaller in size. In dorsal view the posterior margin of the postpetiolar disc with a row of 5-6 scale-like to spatulate hairs on each side of the midline which project out over the spongiform tissue; the posterior petiolar margin with a similar row of 4 scale-like hairs (2 on each side of the midline). Standing simple hairs absent from alitrunk, petiole, postpetiole and first gastral tergite; flagellate hairs never developed. Alitrunk not marginate laterally, the pronotum flattened and without a median longitudinal ridge or carina dorsally. With the alitrunk in profile the mesonotum very slightly raised above the level of the pronotum and propodeum. Metanotal groove not impressed but its site marked by the small step-down from the mesonotal to the propodeal dorsum. Propodeal teeth strong, broad basally and slightly upcurved along their length, the infradental lamella very narrow and its outline distinctly concave. Pleurae and sides of propodeum densely punctulate. Pronotal dorsum exceedingly feebly rugulose, the rugulae tending to be irregular but with an overall longitudinal trend. Spaces between the minute rugulae shagreened and dull. Remainder of dorsal alitrunk and petiole dorsum finely punctulate. Disc of postpetiole smooth and shining and first gastral tergite unsculptured except for the basigastral costulae which form an uninterrupted band across the base of the sclerite. Spongiform appendages massively developed in profile. In dorsal view the sides and posterior margin of the petiole node surrounded by continuous thick spongiform material. The postpetiole with an anterior spongiform transverse strip and with the lateral spongiform material projecting beyond the lateral outlines of the disc in dorsal view. Posterior margin of postpetiole disc with a continuous broad spongiform strip which is narrower centrally than at the sides but not broken. Base of first gastral tergite with a transverse spongiform band which is as broad as, and is overlapped by, that on the posterior postpetiolar margin. Colour medium to dark brown.
Paratypes. TL 2.0-2.2, HL 0.58-0.64, HW 0.35-0.38, CI 56-63, ML 0.06-0.08, MI 9-12, SL 0.26-0.28, SI 73-78, PW 0.22-0.26, AL 0.54-0.62 (20 measured).
As holotype but with maximum diameter of eye 0.11-0.15 X HW. In some the longitudinal nature of the minute pronotal rugulae is better shown than in others, which are less regular and like the holotype. The maximum number of scale-like hairs fringing the posterior dorsal margin of the petiole node appears to be 6 (3 on each side of the midline) though the outermost on each side may actually arise on the lateral margin of the node and project backward. The basal lamella of the mandible consists of a high rectangle with concave sides, visible in one of the paratypes.
Type Material
Holotype worker, Ivory Coast: Issoneu, 12.x.1980 (V. Mahnert & f.-L. Perret) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève).
Paratypes. Ivory Coast: 14 workers and 1 female with same data as holotype; 9 workers, Man, 7.x.1980 (V. Mahnert & f.-L. Perret); 7 workers and 1 female, Dropleu, 10.x.1980 (V. Mahnert & f.-L. Perret); 4 workers, Tai Forest, 17.x.1980 (V. Mahnert &f.-L. Perret) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève; The Natural History Museum; Museum of Comparative Zoology).
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. 1983. The Afrotropical dacetine ants (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology. 46:267-416. (page 295, fig. 3 worker described)
- 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 305, figs. 203, 231 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.
- 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
- CSIRO Collection
- IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection