Strumigenys nongba

Identification
Xu & Zhou (2004) - Close to Strumigenys takasago, but head relatively broader, metanotal groove only shallowly depressed, propodeum without spines.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  nongba. Pyramica nongba Xu & Zhou, 2004: 443, figs. 7, 8 (w.) CHINA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 125

Worker
Holotype. TL 1.8, HL 0.48, HW 0.40, CI 84, ML 0.11, MI 24, SL 0.28, SI 69, PW 0.28, AL 0. 48. Head triangular, longer than broad and narrowed forward. In full-face view, occipital margin weakly roundly concave in the middle, occipital corners rounded. Lateral sides weakly concave. Mandible elongate triangular, basal corner angled, basal half of masticatory margin without teeth, apical half with about 10 slender spine-like teeth. Clypeus nearly triangular, anterior margin roundly con vex. Antennal scrobe distinctly depressed. Antenna with 6 segments, antennal club 2-segmented, apex of scape reached to 3/4 of the distance from antennal socket to occipital corner. Eye small, with 6 ommatidia. In profile view, vertex roundly prominent. Pronotum roundly convex, promesonotal suture indistinct. Dorsum of mesonotum straight, metanotal groove shallowly depressed. Dorsum of propodeum convex anteriorly, slope down backward and rounded into declivity. Declivity weakly concave, lateral sides with narrow vertical ridge-like spongiform appendages, posterodorsal corner of the spongiform appendage bluntly angled. Petiole without spongiform appendages, ventral face with a narrow longitudinal ridge, dorsum of petiolar node roundly convex. Postpetiolar node roundly convex, posterior border with a narrow spongi form appendage, lateral sides each with a triangular spongiform appendage.

Mandibles smooth and shining. Head, petiole and postpetiole densely finely punctuate and opaque. Alitrunk densely micro-reticulate and less shining. Gaster smooth and shining. Head, antennae and legs with abundant depressed pubescences. Alitrunk, petiole, postpetiole and gaster with sparse depressed pubescences. Body surface with sparse pilosity. Leading edge of antennal scape with a row of spatulate hairs, five of them curved apically, three of them curved basally. Vertex, mesonotum, petiole and postpetiole each with a pair of clavate hairs. Gaster with 2 pairs of clavate hairs on first tergite, 1 pair similar hairs on tergites 2-3 separately. Body color yellow, mandibles brownish yellow, eyes black.

Paratype workers. TL 1.9-2.0, HL 0.50, HW 0.41-0.43, CI 83-85, ML 0.13, MI 25, SL 0.28, SI 65-67, PW 0.29-0.30, AL 0.49-0.51 ( 3 individuals measured). As holotype.

Type Material
Holotype: worker, No. A95-236, 1200 m, Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Leiliang Village, Nongba Town, Longchuan County, Yunnan Province, 29 Dec. 1995, collected by Mr. Xu Zheng-Hui. Paratypes: 3 workers, with same data as holotype. The type specimens are deposited in the Insect Collection, Faculty of Conservation Biology, Southwest Forestry College, Kunming, Yunnan, China.

Etymology
The new species is named after the type locality Nongba Town.