Strumigenys enopla

Lattke and Aguirre (2015) - With the discovery of Strumigenys lojanensis it is possible to discern a group of 5 northern andean species of the gundlachi complex with a preference for cold forests above 2000 m altitude, where the presence of most ants is negligible (Longino, 2014). The other species are Strumigenys enopla, known from altitudes between 1900 and 2200 m in SW Colombia, Strumigenys nubila, sampled from altitudes between 2000 and 2500 m in Colombia and Venezuela, Strumigenys vartana, a Colombian species known from altitudes between 1800 and 2530 m and Strumigenys heterodonta which was recently described from 2940 m altitude in Ecuador (Rigato & Scupola, 2008).

Identification
Bolton (2000) - The long slender mandibles are matched or exceeded in Strumigenys denticulata (MI 72-85) but the latter is smaller (HL 0.42-0.48) and has shorter scapes (SI 68-81). Also, denticulata workers are yellow to pale brown rather than blackish-brown to black and have the mesonotal hairs short and stiff rather than finely flagellate and straggly; usually denticulata completely lacks a ventral spongiform lobe on the postpetiole whereas in enopla this lobe is generally easily visible, though small.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia, Guadeloupe.

Nomenclature

 *  enopla. Pyramica enopla Bolton, 2000: 185 (w.q.) COLOMBIA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 119

Worker
HOLOTYPE. TL 2.5, HL 0.59, HW 0.44, CI 75, ML 0.44, MI 75, SL 0.42, SI 95, PW 0.28, AL 0.66. Characters of gundlachi-complex; see also notes under Strumigenys gundlachi. Mandibles long and slender, their outer margins evenly shallowly convex in full-face view. Inner margin of left mandible with 4 preapical denticles, of right with 5 (see paratypes). Scapes long and slender (the longest known among the immediate relatives of gundlachi). Erect hairs on cephalic dorsum long, simple but truncated apically, similar in length and shape to those on the first gastral tergite. Pronotal humeral hairs long fine and flagellate; dorsum of pronotum otherwise without erect hairs. Mesonotum with a pair of long fine straggly flagellate hairs. Postpetiole in profile with a small triangular ventral spongiform lobe (see paratypes); in frontal view the left and right lobes linked by a narrow transverse spongiform strip. Basal spongiform pad on first gastral sternite vestigial to absent. First gastral tergite un sculptured except for the short, weakly developed basigastral costulae. Colour blackish-brown to black.

PARA TYPE. TL 2.3-2.7, HL 0.54-0.62, HW 0.41-0.46, CI 72-78, ML 0.38-0.46, MI 70-78, SL 0.34-0.44, SI 84-100, PW 0.26-0.32, AL 0.58-0.70 (11 measured). As holotype but number of preapical denticles on mandible varying from 3 to 7, usually a with different number on each. Scape length appears allometric; smaller specimens have relatively shorter scapes. Size of ventral spongiform lobe of postpetiole variable, usually roughly triangular but in some reduced to a narrow arched strip; transverse ventral strip always visible.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Colombia: Huila, Parque Nacional Cuevas de los Guacharos, 10 km. SE Palestina, 2200 m., 16.i.1978, cloud forest (C. Kugler & J. Hahn).

Paratypes. 4 workers and 1 ergatoid queen with same data as holotype; 4 workers with same data but 1900-2200 m, 15.i.1978, forest; 3 workers with same data but 17.i.1978 (MCZ, ).