Strumigenys mocsaryi

A rainforest species that has been found in litter and rotten wood.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. Of the five species discussed here (see under signeae-complex, above), mocsaryi is very much the odd one out. It is a minute (HL 0.45-0.48) New Guinean species that has extremely short scapes (SI 54-58) and long dense basigastral costulae. The other four species (Strumigenys gabarys, Strumigenys gamegyn, Strumigenys halpas, Strumigenys sytaria) are larger (HL > 0.60), inhabit the Malay Peninsula, Java and Borneo, have much longer scapes (SI 72-91), and have sparse short basigastral costulae. Of these four, gabarys has the katepisternum entirely sharply reticulate-punctate and has long scapes (SI 91). The other three have shorter scapes (SI 72-86) and have part to all of the katepisternum smooth. In halpas the pronotal dorsum has a pair of short erect hairs and the head is relatively narrow (CI 67-69), whereas sytaria and gamegyn lack pronotal erect hairs (except at the humeri) and have the head broader (CI 73-75). The last two species separate as gamegyn has shorter mandibles (MI 40), has remiform standing hairs on the first gastral tergite and has the posterior (free) margin of the lamella on the propodeal declivity convex; in contrast sytaria has longer mandibles (MI 46-49), simple standing hairs on the first gastral tergite and the posterior (free) margin of the lamella on the propodeal declivity concave.

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

Nomenclature

 *  mocsaryi. Strumigenys mocsaryi Emery, 1897c: 580, pl. 14, fig. 15 (w.) NEW GUINEA. See also: Bolton, 2000: 824.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 1.6-1.7, HL 0.45-0.48, HW 0.35-0.38, CI 78-80, ML 0.15-0.17, MI 33-38, SL 0.20-0.22, SI 54-58, PW 0.20-0.23, AL 0.44-0.48 (11 measured).

Characters of signeae-complex. Dorsolateral margin of head with anteriorly curved narrowly spoon-shaped hairs on upper scrobe margin; apicoscrobal hair short and stout; margin posterior to this with 2-3 much shorter projecting hairs (easily lost by abrasion). Cephalic dorsum with a transverse row of 4-6 short erect hairs at occipital margin; without standing hairs anterior to this. Pronotal humeral hair straight and stiff; pronotal dorsum otherwise without erect hairs. Mesonotum with a single pair of erect hairs. Entire dorsal alitrunk finely and densely reticulate-punctulate. Katepisternum mostly smooth but side of alitrunk otherwise reticulate-punctate. Lamella on propodeal declivity narrow, its posterior (free) margin concave. Petiole node in dorsal view broader than long, reticulate-punctate. In profile lateral spongiform lobe of petiole small, forming a posterolateral collar on node; height of anterior face of node at least equal to length of dorsum. Disc of postpetiole with weak punctulate-shagreenate sculpture at least in part, not entirely smooth. First gastral tergite with sparse short standing hairs. Basigastral costulae dense, longer than disc of postpetiole.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Madang (= Friedrich-Wilhelrnshafen) and Hansemann Mts (L. Biro) [examined].