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Strumigenys thuvida
| Strumigenys thuvida | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Strumigenys |
| Species: | S. thuvida |
| Binomial name | |
| Strumigenys thuvida (Bolton, 1983)
| |
The handful of records of this species suggest it is a forest litter-dwelling species.
Identification
A member of the Strumigenys thuvida-group.
Bolton (1983) - G. thuvida and Strumigenys trymala are closely related and together are separated from Strumigenys tukulta as tabulated below. Differences between thuvida and trymala are given under the latter.
| thuvida and trymala | tukulta |
| Mandibles not clothed in scale-like hairs. | Mandible clothed in scale-like hairs. |
| Cephalic dorsum behind clypeus with arched simple hairs, and with flagellate hairs present (5 pairs). | Cephalic dorsum behind clypeus with appressed scale-like hairs; flagellate hairs absent. |
| Sides of pronotum with a few anteriorly situated foveolate punctures. | Sides of pronotum unsculptured. |
| Ventral appendage of petiole lobiform, not running the length of the segment. | Ventral appendage of petiole massively spongiform, running the length of segment. |
| Petiole node much broader than long in dorsal view, the posterior margin without a transverse bordering lamella. | Petiole node about as broad as long in dorsal view, the posterior margin with a broad transverse bordering lamella. |
| Anterior margin of postpetiolar disc concave in dorsal view. | Anterior margin of postpetiolar disc transverse in dorsal view. |
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -0.317° to -5.94905°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Kenya (type locality), Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania.
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
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0178323. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
 
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0102592. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- thuvida. Glamyromyrmex thuvidus Bolton, 1983: 332, fig. 31 (w.) KENYA. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1672; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 129. See also: Bolton, 2000: 333.
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 1.6, HL 0.43, HW 0.29, CI 67, ML 0.08, MI 19, SL 0.19, SI 66, PW 0.21, AL 0.41.
On the mandible the first tooth following the basal lamella small, about half the size of the second tooth. Remaining teeth of the principal dental row showing some slight variation in size but none radically reduced. In profile the upper and lower mandibular margins diverging from base to apex, the upper margin weakly elevated anteriorly above the level of the anterior clypeal margin; the apical (masticatory) margin arched-downcurved. Anterior clypeal margin transverse, the lateral margins not expanded, converging behind to the convex frontal lobes, the width across which, from side to side, is only slightly less than the maximum width of the clypeus. Upper scrobe margins distinctly indented behind the frontal lobes, convex and divergent posteriorly. Occipital margin shallowly concave. Eyes vestigial, consisting of only one or two ommatidia, situated on the ventral scrobe margins and the diameter of the eye less than that of the foveolate punctures which occur on the side of the head behind the scrobe. Antennal scapes very weakly clavate, the leading edges gently convex and with apically directed fine curved short hairs. Clypeus with closely appressed short spatulate to scale-like hairs. Behind the clypeus the cephalic dorsum with fine standing hairs which are arched or curved, mostly directed towards the midline; posteriorly some of the arched hairs are directed forwards. Behind the clypeus the curved hairs are narrowly spatulate, more posteriorly they are simple but some are minutely bifurcated at the apex. Sides of head with 4 pairs of laterally projecting long flagellate hairs, the occipital margin with another pair towards the outer edges but these tend to be directed upwards. Clypeus smooth and shining. Central strip of cephalic dorsum from between the frontal lobes approximately to the highest point of the vertex mostly smooth, with a few extremely minute fine rugular vestiges which are very indistinct. Dorsum behind and on each side of this area with broad coarse foveolate punctures which give the surface a cratered appearance. The head shiny and smooth between the punctures. Anterior border of pronotum marginate, the sides rounded and not marginate. Sides of mesonotum and propodeum weakly marginate, the two confluent dorsally, not separated by a transverse ridge or crest and the metanotal groove absent. Propodeal teeth mostly incorporated in the infradental lamellae, with just a minute point projecting. Sides of alitrunk smooth except for a few foveolate punctures anteriorly on the pronotum. Dorsal alitrunk smooth and shining everywhere, devoid of sculpture. Pronotum at the humeri with a pair of laterally directed long flagellate hairs, the dorsum with two vertically directed pairs, one situated anteriorly and the other posteriorly. Mesonotum with a single flagellate pair directed vertically. Otherwise the dorsal alitrunk only with scattered fine hairs which arch towards the midline, some of these hairs minutely bifurcate apically. With the pedicel segments in profile the ventral petiolar appendage reduced to an anteriorly situated broad lobe beneath the peduncle, the lobe petering out about on a level with the highest point of the node. Lateral and ventral appendages of postpetio!e large but delicate and blister-like, translucent and with minute weak veins present. Petiole in dorsal view with the node transverse, much broader than long, smooth and shining. Lateral spongiform appendages vestigial, reduced to a minute and scarcely visible strip on each side, without a transverse lamella connecting them across the posterior face of the node. Postpetiole in dorsal view smooth and shining, the blister-like appendages prominent on each side and the anteriormost parts of the ventral appendage visible, projecting in front of the anterior margin of the lateral appendage on each side. Anterior and posterior margins of postpetiolar disc bordered by a narrow lamella, the disc itself roughly trapezoidal in shape, narrowing posteriorly and with broadly rounded anterolateral corners, the anterior margin deeply concave. Base of first gastral tergite lamellar, the lamella deeply concave and almost interrupted medially. Basigastral costulae arise on each side of this concavity. Dorsal surfaces of petiole, postpetiole and first gastral tergite each with scattered fine simple hairs which are mostly erect to suberect. Colour glossy dull yellow.
Paratype. TL 1.6, HL 0.44, HW 0.29, CI 66, ML 0.09, MI 20, SL 0.20, SI 69, PW 0.22, AL 0.43. As holotype.
Bolton (2000) - TL 1.6-2.0, HL 0.42-0.50, HW 0.28-0.34, CI 66-68, ML 0.08-0.10, MI 18-24, SL 0.18-0.22, SI 64-69, PW 0.21-0.26, AL 0.41-0.51 (10 measured).
Type Material
Holotype worker, Kenya: Embu, Kirimiri Forest, W. of Runyenje, 1550 m, 3.x.1977 (V. Mahnert & l.-L. Perret) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève).
Paratype. 1 worker with same data as holotype (The Natural History 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. 1983. The Afrotropical dacetine ants (Formicidae). Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 46:267-416. (page 332, fig. 31 worker described)
- 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. Mem. Am. Entomol. Inst. 65: 1-1028 (page 333, figs. 217, 239 redescription of worker)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- 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
- Ross S. R. P. J., F. Hita Garcia, G. Fischer, and M. K. Peters. 2018. Selective logging intensity in an East African rain forest predicts reductions in ant diversity. Biotropica 1-11.