Strumigenys tigris

Strumigenys tigris
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Strumigenys
Species:	S. tigris
Binomial name
Strumigenys tigris Brown, 1971 Specimen Labels

Specimens have been collected from rainforest, upper montane forest and mixed oak forest. All noted details show samples were obtained from some type of downed wood: downed branch and from pieces of rotting wood.

Identification

Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys szalayi-group. The complex Strumigenys szalayi – Strumigenys hemichlaena – Strumigenys tigris – Strumigenys nigra represents a sequence of very closely related forms, differentiated mainly by increasing zones of black pigmentation. In szalayi there are unicolourous specimens together with others that have much darker gasters. In hemichlaena a few specimens have the pronotum only very slightly darker than the remainder of the alitrunk, whereas in most the difference is pronounced. In tigris there are forms with entirely yellow heads together with others that have the heads dark anteriorly. In nigra there are forms with yellow legs together with others in which the legs are almost as dark as the alitrunk. It may be that all four nominal forms represent only a single colour-variable species, or conversely perhaps some of the variants need to be recognised as discrete. Whichever, the complex deserves a closer analysis when enough material has been amassed to produce decent results.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Strumigenys of East Asia

Distribution

NE New Guinea highlands.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -3.324166667° to -7.349999905°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• tigris. Strumigenys tigris Brown, 1971c: 82, fig. 7 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA. See also: Bolton, 2000: 907.

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

Description

Worker

Bolton (2000) - TL 3.3-3.5, HL 0.86-0.98, HW 0.61-0.72, CI 68-73, ML 0.44-0.50, MI 50-53, SL 0.61-0.68, SI 95-102, PW 0.34-0.38, AL 0.92-1.00 (10 measured).

With head in profile the postocular concavity in the vetrolateral margin distinct. Propodeal teeth not long and spiniform, length very obviously less than twice the distance separating their bases. Side of pronotum reticulate-punctate, often with sculpture effaced on lower half. Katepisternum smooth and usually also smooth areas present on metapleuron and side of propodeum. Hairs on first gastral tergite similar to those on postpetiole. Dorsum of head unicolourous yellow or anterior portion, roughly to level of preocular impression, brown to black. Pronotum and anterior mesonotum black, remainder of alitrunk yellow but propodeal teeth usually brown. Waist segments and gaster dark brown to black.

Queen

Dealate, from holotype nest series: TL 3.9, HL 0.98, HW 0.75 (CI 77), ML 0.48 (MI 49), scape L 0.66, WL 1.10, greatest diameter of eye 0.17, petiole L 0.42 mm.

Held, appendages, meso- and metapleura and propodeum yellow; pronotum, mesonotum, petiole, postpetiole and gaster black or nearly so. Mesopleura largely smooth and shining. Scutum longitudinally rugulose and with some faint reddish-brown markings.

Type Material

Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, paratype workers and queen, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Aiyura, 2000 m., vi.1962, nos. 2090, 2101, 2106 (R. W. Taylor) (Australian National Insect Collection, Museum of Comparative Zoology) [examined].

• Holotype, worker, Aiyura, Papua New Guinea, Taylor,R.W., ANIC32-017707, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Paratype, 1 worker, 1 queen, Aiyura, Papua New Guinea, Taylor,R.W., ANIC32-017708, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Paratype, 3 workers, Aiyura, Papua New Guinea, Taylor,R.W., ANIC32-017709, Australian National Insect Collection.
• Paratype, 2 workers, Aiyura, Papua New Guinea, Taylor,R.W., ANIC32-017815, Australian National Insect Collection.

References

• Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65:1-1028. (page 907, figs. 478, 488, 5104 redescription of worker)
• Brown, W. L., Jr. 1971c. The Indo-Australian species of the ant genus Strumigenys: group of szalayi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pp. 73-86 in: Asahina, S., et al. (eds.) Entomological essays to commemorate the retirement of Professor K. Yasumatsu. Tokyo: Hokuryukan Publishing Co. (page 82, fig. 7 worker, queen described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
• Brown W. L., Jr. 1971. The Indo-Australian species of the ant genus Strumigenys: group of szalayi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pp. 73-86 in: Asahina, S., et al. (eds.) Entomological essays to commemorate the retirement of Professor K. Yasumatsu. Tokyo: Hokuryukan Publishing Co., vi + 389 pp.
• CSIRO Collection
• Janda M., G. D. Alpert, M. L. Borowiec, E. P. Economo, P. Klimes, E. Sarnat, and S. O. Shattuck. 2011. Cheklist of ants described and recorded from New Guinea and associated islands. Available on http://www.newguineants.org/. Accessed on 24th Feb. 2011.
• Lucky A., E. Sarnat, and L. Alonso. 2011. Ants of the Muller Range, Papua New Guinea, Chapter 10. In Richards, S. J. and Gamui, B. G. (editors). 2013. Rapid Biological Assessments of the Nakanai Mountains and the upper Strickland Basin: surveying the biodiversity of Papua New Guinea’s sublime karst environments. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 60. Conservation International. Arlington, VA.
• Snelling R. R. 2000. Ants of the Wapoga river area, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. In Mack, Andrew L. and Leeanne E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A Biological Assessment of the Wapoga River Area of Northwestern Irian Jaya, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 14, Conservation International, Washington, DC.