Strumigenys tococae

The types were taken from an abundant population inhabiting the foliar sacs of Tococa formicaria, a tall myrmecophytic shrub, in the outskirts of Bolem. From this circumstance and the large size of the eyes, S. tococae is judged to be an arboreal or subarboreal specialist. (Brown 1962)

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys tococae-group. Two species in the group, tococae and Strumigenys extirpa, have the gaster smooth behind the basigastral costulae; in the others it is densely sculptured. Of these two, tococae has long irregular flagellate hairs on the waist segments and first gastral tergite, absent from extirpa. The gastral flagellate hairs are apparently quite easily lost by abrasion.

Wheeler and Bequaert (1929) - This species is quite distinct from any of the Neotropical Strumigenys of which the senior author has seen specimens or descriptions. It is allied to S. rogeri, S. trinidadensis, saliens, cordovensis and biolleyi.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana.

Nomenclature

 *  tococae. Strumigenys tococae Wheeler, W.M. & Bequaert, 1929: 31 (w.) BRAZIL. See also: Brown, 1957c: 101; Bolton, 2000: 565.

Worker
Length 3.3-3.5 mm.

Allied to S. rogeri Emery but decidedly larger. Head somewhat more than one and one-half times as long as broad, narrowed anteriorly, deeply and semicircularly excised behind, and with rounded occipital lobes, the eyes moderately large and convex, in front of the middle of the sides. Clypeus small, subtriangular, broader than long. Mandibles somewhat more than half as long as the head, straight and linear, not flattened, their basal three-fifths with parallel external and internal borders, distally gradually narrowed to the slender rather abruptly incurved apical teeth. The inner border of the terminal two-fifths of each mandible bears two stout, distinctly oblique teeth, the first at the point where the mandible begins to narrow, the second half way to the apical teeth. The first tooth is distinctly shorter than the second (the reverse of the condition in S. rogeri). Antennae slender, the scapes subterete, reaching to about the posterior fifth of the head; first funicular joint as long as joints 2 and 3 together, the second being half as long as the third; joint 4 distinctly longer than 2 and 3 and the terminal joint fusiform, nearly as long as 2 to 4 together. Thorax slender, broadest through the pronotum which has rounded humeri and a rather convex dorsum. Mesonotum convex and subcarinate in the middle. Epinotum with subequal base and declivity in profile, the former nearly straight, flattened in the middle and sharply marginate on each side, the latter sloping, without 1jranslucent laminae; spines well-developed, longer than broad, acute, flattened. Metasternal teeth somewhat shorter than the spines hut nearly as acute. Petiole with rounded, transversely elliptical node, in profile rising abruptly from the short peduncle and with well-developed spongiform masses around its sides and posterior border and depending from its ventral surface. Postpetiolar node similar but broader and• with similar but more extensive fungiform masses. First gastric segment convex, broadly subelliptical, with feebly concave anterior border. Legs rather slender.

Opaque; mandibles somewhat, gaster decidedly shining. Head, thorax and pedicel densely and evenly reticulate; mandibles, scapes and legs finely, gaster sparsely punctate, the base of the first segment strongly longitudinally striate.

Clypeus, head and thorax with sparse, evenly distributed, pale, appressed, scale-like hairs; anterior border of scapes with a series of about a dozen curved hairs which are slightly enlarged at their tips; mandibles with numerous ordinary, subappressed hairs; those on the scapes and legs appressed and scale-like. Gaster with very long, delicate, erect, sparse hairs. A few of these occur also on the humeri and pedicel.

Yellow ferruginous; mandibles, legs and gaster paler.

Bolton (2000) - TL 3.2-3.3, HL 0.80-0.84, HW 0.62-0.64, CI 74-78, ML 0.45-0.46, MI 55-58, SL 0.53-0.54, SI 84-87, PW 0.36-0.40, AL 0.78-0.82 (6 measured).

First gastral tergite smooth and shining behind basigastral costulae, the sclerite with numerous appressed spatulate hairs that are directed medially or posteromedially and are quite conspicuous. First gastral tergite also with a number of long straggly flagellate hairs, one or two pairs of which also project from the dorsal surfaces of the petiole and postpetiole. Apicoscrobal hair absent. Maximum diameter of eye 0.12-0.14. Petiolar spine about equal in length to the spine at the base of the propodeum, or slightly longer. Reticulate-punctate sculpture of postpetiole disc overlaid with weak longitudinal costulae. Spongiform lobes of petiole and postpetiole well developed.

Type Material
Described from numerous specimens taken July 13 at Para, in the foliar sacs of Tococa [near formicaria Mart (?)].

Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers, BRAZIL: Para, 13.vii.1924 (Bequaert) [examined].