Strumigenys montu

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the mayri complex in the Strumigenys mayri-group. Within the mayri-complex only three species, montu, Strumigenys nysu and Strumigenys racabura, have one or two erect long fine hairs projecting from the dorsal (outer) surface of the hind basitarsus. All are known from New Guinea and racabura has also been recorded from Queensland, Australia.

Of the three nysu has the postpetiole disc un sculptured and has basigastral costulae that in dorsal view are shorter than the disc of the postpetiole. In the other two species the disc is sculptured and the basigastral costulae are at least as long as the postpetiole disc. S. montu is larger than racabura, with a narrower head and longer scapes (compare measurements). The propodeal spines of racabura are short, elevated at about 45° and are more or less straight, whilst those of montu are longer, more elevated and weakly upcurved.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea.

Nomenclature

 *  montu. Strumigenys montu Bolton, 2000: 889 (w.) NEW GUINEA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.5, HL 0.69, HW 0.43, CI 62, ML 0.31, MI 45, SL 0.44, SI 102, PW 0.26, AL 0.66. Characters of the mayri-complex. Preapical tooth spiniform, slightly longer than maximum width of mandible. Cephalic dorsum with 4-6 erect hairs along the occipital margin, the pair nearest the midline narrowly looped; a similar pair present at level of highest point of vertex. Preocular notch strongly present; ventral surface of head with a broad shallow preocular transverse impression posterior to the broad and deep postbuccal groove. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate, pronotum otherwise without erect hairs; mesonotum with one pair of erect flagellate hairs. Dorsal alitrunk reticulate-punctate. Dorsal surfaces of waist segments and first gastral tergite with flagellate hairs, those on the first gastral tergite erect and very long, sparse, restricted to a pair near the base and another pair near the apical margin. Katepisternum and most of metapleuron and side of propodeum smooth. Propodeum armed with a pair of strongly elevated and shallowly upcurved narrow spines, the length of one of which is slightly greater than distance separating their bases. Dorsal (outer) surface of hind basitarsus with 1-2 long erect flagellate hairs. Petiole in profile with anterior face of node shorter than length of the shallowly convex dorsum, in dorsal view petiole node as broad as long. Disc of postpetiole finely punctate but not as densely sculptured as dorsum of petiole node. In dorsal view basigastral costulae about as long as disc of postpetiole.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Indonesia: Irian Jaya, PT. Freeport Concession, Siewa camp, 3.04°S, 136.38°E, 200 ft, 7.iv.1998, #1998-43, lowland secondary rainforest, ex sifted litter from between tree buttresses (R. R. Snelling).