Strumigenys canina

One of the most common species of Strumigenys in Hong Kong, collected in a variety of habitats including trees along roadsides, shrubland, tree plantation (Lophostemon confertus Wilson & Waterh.), bamboo forest, secondary forest and Feng Shui woods. Known elevation range in Hong Kong from 29 to 474 m. In a Winkler sample collected on October 8th, 2018, 149 workers, 3 queens, 1 larva of a gyne, 24 alate gynes, and 1 male were collected altogether, potentially belonging to the same colony (Tang et al., 2019).

The hunting behaviour of S. canina was investigated by Masuko (1984).

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys sauteri-group. Fully described and figured by Brown & Boisvert (1979), this is the most derived member of the group. S. canina is instantly distinguished from all others in the group by its relatively long narrow mandibles (MI 19-22) and unique dentition (see discussion of sauteri-group, above). On the masticatory margin tooth 5 from the base is by far the longest and broadest, easily visible in full-face view even when the mandibles are fully closed. The anterior clypeal margin is broadly, shallowly but evenly concave in full-face view. In the other three species (Strumigenys arges, Strumigenys brontes, Strumigenys sauteri) together the mandibles are much shorter (MI 6-10), the fifth tooth from the base is not markedly the longest and broadest on the masticatory margin, and is not conspicuous in full-face view when the mandibles are fully closed. The anterior clypeal margin in these species is deeply and quite narrowly concave, the concavity usually appearing deeply semicircular with a pronounced anteriorly projecting anterolateral angle at each side of the concave area.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China, Japan, Republic of Korea.

Biology
Masuko (1984) observed and reported on what he called "body smearing behavior" in S. membranifera and other Strumigenys species (see Strumigenys behavior).

Nomenclature

 *  canina. Pentastruma canina Brown & Boisvert, 1979: 203, figs. 2-4 (w.q.m.) JAPAN. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 116. See also: Bolton, 2000: 463.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, paratype workers and queen, JAPAN: Honshu, Kanagawa Pref., Manazuru, 4. iv.1968, 20.x.1968, 5.i.1973 (M. Kubota); paratype workers, queens, males, JAPAN: Honshu, Shizuoka Pref., Hamaoka, 15.xi.1976 (R. Egawa); Chiba Pref., Kiyosumiyama, viii.1976 (T. Kannari); Wakayama Pref., Shirahama, 6.i.1971 (M. Kubota); Kyushu, Miyazaki Pref., Miyazaki-jingu, 18.vii.1971 (M. Shindo) [examined].