Strumigenys lichiaensis

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the smythiesii complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. There are nine species in the smythiesii-complex that have a flagellate apicoscrobal hair, no other flagellate hair posterior to this and the humeral hair flagellate. Three of these (lichiaensis, Strumigenys smythiesii, Strumigenys trada) have relatively long scapes; SI 98-107. The other six (Strumigenys chernovi, Strumigenys datryx, Strumigenys ekasura, Strumigenys hastur, Strumigenys panaulax, Strumigenys tenitecta) have shorter scapes, SI 68-83.

Among the three species with long scapes the Indian smythiesii is isolated as it has a smooth unsculptured promesonotal dorsum, lacks erect simple hairs on the posterior mesonotum, and has only long flagellate hairs on the first gastral tergite. The other two, lichiaensis and trada, are known only from Taiwan. They have the promesonotal dorsum punctate or reticulate-punctate, have erect simple hairs on the posterior mesonotum, and do not have long flagellate hairs alone on the first gastral tergite. Also in the last two species the dorsum of the hind femur has a series of stiff erect hairs; a much longer erect flagellate hair may be present close to the trochanter. In smythiesii there is no row of stiff erect hairs dorsally on the hind femur, but one or two long flagellate hairs are present.

Of the six shorter-scaped species three, all currently known only from Fiji (chernovi, ekasura, panaulax), have the postpetiole disc entirely sculptured whilst the other three (datryx, hastur, tenitecta) have it smooth. Among the former set of species panaulax is immediately identified by its entirely sulcate first gastral tergite, which is a unique character in the whole Malesian region. S. chernovi separates from ekasura as the former has two freely laterally projecting fine hairs on each upper scrobe margin, one at level of eye and one apicoscrobal, and has a broad propodeal lamella with a shallowly convex posterior (free) margin. In ekasura only the apicoscrobal hair is present and the propodeal declivity lacks a lamella.

Of the final three species hastur possesses at least three stiff, freely laterally projecting straight hairs on each upper scrobe margin: one just posterior to level of frontal lobe, one at level of eye and one apicoscrobal. Coupled with this its pronotum dorsally is glassy smooth. S. datryx has a single flagellate hair on the upper scrobe margin, the apicoscrobal; the dorsum of its petiole node is smooth. In contrast tenitecta lacks specialised laterally projecting hairs anywhere on the upper scrobe margin and the dorsum of its petiole node is finely but densely reticulate-punctate.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Taiwan.

Nomenclature

 *  lichiaensis. Strumigenys lichiaensis Lin & Wu, 1996: 147, figs. 25-29 (w.q.) TAIWAN. See also: Bolton, 2000: 810.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.6, HL 0.63, HW 0.43, CI 68, ML 0.32, MI 51, SL 0.42, SI 98, PW 0.26, AL 0.69.

Characters of smythiesii-complex. Apicoscrobal hair simple, stout and stiff, shallowly curved. The dorsolateral margin anterior and posterior to this with shorter simple stiff hairs that are curved, blunt and subcylindrical. Leading edge of scape with narrowly spatulate curved hairs. Cephalic dorsum with weakly elevated narrowly spatulate ground pilosity; occipital margin with a transverse row of 6 much longer stout erect hairs, dorsum otherwise without erect hairs. Eye with 10-11 ommatidia in total. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate and very long. Promesonotal dorsum reticulate-punctate. Propodeal dorsum more finely and superficially reticulate-punctate but not smooth. Pronotal dorsum with a pair of stiff erect hairs; mesonotum with 5-6 pairs of similar but slightly shorter hairs. Hind femur dorsally with an erect flagellate hair close to the trochanter and distal to this with row of at least 3 erect simple hairs; similar hairs present on ventral surface of femur and on dorsal (outer) surface of hind tibia. Propodeal tooth vestigial, represented only by a ghostly vestige at top of lamella close to declivity. Lateral spongiform lobe of petiole small, in profile confined to posterior third or less of side of node. Disc of postpetiole smooth. Standing hairs near base of first gastral tergite long and weakly remiform; becoming shorter more posteriorly on the sclerite. Basigastral costulae traverse limbus and extend for about an equal length onto tergite proper.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, paratype worker and queen, TAIWAN: Taitung Hsien, Lichia, 24.iv.1995 (C. -C. Lin) [examined].