Strumigenys filitalpa

Brown (1964) - A single worker taken under a stone bordering the lawn at the Main Lodge, Brown County State Park, Indiana. Some of the clypeal hairs are curved slightly laterad as well as forward, but all are very fine, as in the holotype, and other characters agree well. The holotype, the only previously known specimen of the species, came from Pike Co., Arkansas.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys talpa-group. Most specimens examined have all hairs on the leading edge of the scape curved toward the scape apex, but a few have 1-2 curved toward the scape base. Because material of this species is so sparse I am unable to tell if this is normal variation or the result of hairs having been displaced during mounting, though I suspect the latter. For this reason filitalpa is run out twice in the key. See also under Strumigenys talpa.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States.



Nomenclature

 *  filitalpa. Smithistruma (Smithistruma) filitalpa Brown, 1950b: 39, pl. 3, fig. 4 (w.) U.S.A. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 120. See also: Brown, 1953g: 79; Bolton, 2000: 132.

Worker
Holotype. Total length (TL) 2.06 mm., head length (HL) 0.54 mm., length of alitrunk (WL) 0.52 mm., cephalic index (CI) 66, mandibulo-cephalic index (MI) 17. Similar to talpa, but perhaps a little more slender than is usual in the common species. Clypeus extremely slightly broader than long, opaque, differing from that of talpa in its pilosity, which is slightly longer, more abundant, and with the individual hairs clearly more slender, weaker, and not having their apices enlarged at magnifications of 60X-120X. The fringing hairs are curved weakly anteromedially; those on the surface of the disc are evenly distributed, weakly arched-subreclinate, nearly or quite as long as the fringing hairs. Hairs on the verticocciput stouter, more nearly clavate or spatulate and more erect than in talpa. Lateral borders of occipital lobes each with two long outstanding weak fiagelliform hairs.

Pronotum in profile shallowly but distinctly concave, meeting the mesonotum through an obtusely rounded angle. Median pronotal carina very indistinct, but continued a bit more distinctly on the mesonotum. The feebly concave parts of the pronotum with sculpture more or less effaced, so that large areas of the pronotal dorsum appear smooth and shining, as is also the case with the petiolar node. Basal costulae of gaster shorter than in talpa, extending not quite % the length of the basal tergite. Color light ferrugineous.

Bolton (2000) - TL 2.1, HL 0.54, CI 66, MI 17, AL 0.52. Closely related to Strumigenys talpa but fringe of hairs on lateral clypeal margin weak and filiform, only weakly curved anteriorly. Hairs on clypeal dorsum similar to those on lateral margin and nearly as long. Dorsolateral margin of head with 2 long flagellate hairs. Basigastral costulae extend only about one-quarter the length of the tergite.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, U. S.A. Arkansas, Pike Co. (W.F. Turner) [examined].