Strumigenys biroi

Two different specimens were noted as being collected in rainforest from a litter sample.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys biroi-group. There may be two sibling species concealed under this name as some individuals have the propodeal dorsum smooth whilst in others there is punctate sculpture present.

S. biroi is closest related to Strumigenys pulchra, the two are only separated on the details of sculpture noted below. The two together are easily distinguished from Strumigenys basiliska and Strumigenys undras as both of these have an unsculptured promesonotum and lack flagellate hairs at the pronotal humeri and on the basitarsi.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea.

Nomenclature

 *  biroi. Strumigenys biroi Emery, 1897c: 580, pl. 14, fig. 16 (w.) NEW GUINEA. See also: Bolton, 2000: 751.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 1.9-2.0, HL 0.48-0.52, HW 0.37-0.40, CI 75-81, ML 0.14-0.16, MI 28-32, SL 0.23-0.25, SI 60-65, PW 0.22-0.25, AL 0.53-0.60 (10 measured).

Dorsolateral margin of head with a closely applied row of spatulate hairs, without freely laterally projecting hairs anywhere on margin. Cephalic dorsum with conspicuous narrowly spatulate ground-pilosity that is closely applied to the surface. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate; mesonotum with a single pair of erect flagellate hairs. Ground-pilosity on promesonotum as on head but not as dense. Dorsum of head and promesonotum densely reticulate-punctate. Pleurae and side of propodeum smooth and shining. Propodeum without trace of cuticular teeth, instead the declivity with a thickly spongiform broad lamella that extends its entire depth. In dorsal view the propodeum terminates in a pair of posteriorly directed thick spongiform lobes, the apices of the lamellae. Dorsal (outer) surface of each middle and hind basitarsus with a single long flagellate erect hair. Disc of postpetiole mostly to entirely smooth, at most with a few very short and feeble costulae at extreme anterior margin. Hairs on first gastral tergite extremely sparse; 2-4 inconspicuous fine hairs present at base that are inclined anteriorly toward the limbus. Tergite otherwise without standing hairs although very sparse minute appressed pubescence is present. Basigastral costulae short, their length on the tergite proper no greater than their length on the limbus.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Madang (=Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen), and Aitape (= Berlinhafen) (L. Biro) [examined].