Strumigenys marleyi

Identification
Bolton (1983) - A member of the Strumigenys marleyi-group. Together with Strumigenys pallestes, marleyi forms a close species-pair characterized by their broad-based mandibles, distinctive apical mandibular armament, complete set of preapical teeth, relatively large eyes, absence of a preocular notch and completely reticulate-punctate sides to the alitrunk. The following characters separate the two species.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa.

Nomenclature

 *  marleyi. Strumigenys havilandi r. marleyi Arnold, 1914: 31, fig. 10 (w.) SOUTH AFRICA. Raised to species: Arnold, 1926: 286. See also: Brown, 1954k: 25; Bolton, 1983: 378; Bolton, 2000: 599.

Worker
Bolton (1983) - TL 2.4-2.5, HL 0.62-0.66, HW 0.48-0.50, CI 75-77, ML 0.22-0.24, MI 35-37, SL 0.30-0.32, SI 60-63, PW 0.28-0.31, AL 0.62-0.66 (2 measured).

Mandibles in full-face view broad basally and narrowing to the apex, with an exaggerated basal external angle and with a basal internal rounded lamina, both of which serve to increase the basal width of the blades. Apical fork of left mandible without intercalary teeth but the lower spiniform fork tooth with an adventitious tooth arising from its ventral basal surface which is about half the length of the lower fork tooth, and with a minute denticle between this adventitious tooth and the lower fork tooth. Apical armament of right mandible as left but the minute denticle may be absent. Both mandibular blades with 2 preapical teeth set close to the apex, the proximal of these larger than the distal. Upper scrobe margins shallowly convex and divergent from just behind the frontal lobes. Preocular notch absent. Eyes large, their maximum diameter distinctly greater than the maximum width of the scape. Ventral surface of head without a preocular transverse groove or impression. Antennal scapes weakly curved in the basal third, broadest at about the midlength, the leading edge shallowly convex and with a series of apically curved spoon-shaped hairs. Dorsal surfaces of scapes with numerous short spatulate to narrowly spoon-shaped hairs present. In full-face view the cephalic dorsum densely clothed with conspicuous short scale-like to spoon-shaped hairs which are curved anteriorly; those hairs bordering the upper scrobe margins no larger than those on the dorsum. Cephalic dorsum without simple standing hairs of any description. Head finely but sharply punctate everywhere. Pronotal humeri without projecting hairs of any. description, the mesonotum without standing hairs. Dorsal alitrunk only with short hairs similar to but sparser than those on the head. In profile the pronotum and mesonotum forming a single even convexity, the posterior portion of the mesonotum not suddenly depressed. Metanotal groove present across the dorsum as a very feebly impressed line, the impression visible in profile but extremely shallow and narrow. Propodeal teeth broad, laminar and confluent through most of their length with the broad sinuate infradental lamellae, both the teeth and the laminae appearing reticulate or even spongiform. Entirety of sides and dorsum of alitrunk densely punctate to reticulate-punctate. Spongiform appendages of pedicel segments strongly developed. Ventral appendage of petiole in profile deeper than the depth of the peduncle at its mid length and abruptly truncated posteriorly, the end of the spongiform appendage occurring directly below the highest point of the node. Lateral spongiform lobe of petiole large. Ventral spongiform lobe of postpetiole in profile large, its area distinctly greater than the exposed area of the postpetiolar disc. Lateral postpetiolar lobe almost as large as the ventral. Petiole node punctate dorsally, the postpetiole smooth. Posterior face of petiole node bordered by a translucent lamella. Postpetioiar disc in dorsal view with projecting spongiform tissue present all down the sides, posteriorly with a narrow translucent laminar strip. Base of first gastral tergite with a narrow laminar transverse strip, the basigastral costulae radiating from the lateral portions of this strip, on each side of a central clear area. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster with numerous stout standing hairs which are thickened apically. Colour yellowish brown.

Type Material
Bolton (1983) - Syntype workers, SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, Durban, ii.1914, ‘in nest of Pheidole punctulata’ (F. B. Marley) [examined].