Strumigenys capitata

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys capitata-group. Closely related to Strumigenys pedunculata, separated from it by the characters given in the key and apparently also geographically. The known distribution of capitata includes Seram, Sulawesi and New Guinea, but to date pedunculata has only been recorded from the Malay Peninsula and Philippine Islands, although it most likely also occurs in Borneo. Further collecting may annul this apparent geographical separation. A second closely related species, Strumigenys theia, is distinguished by its possession of at least 3 pairs of standing hairs on the mesonotum and completely sculptured lateral alitrunk, which does not have a smooth shining area on the mesopleuron.

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

Nomenclature

 *  capitata. Cephaloxys capitata Smith, F. 1865: 77, pl. 4, fig. 5 (q.) NEW GUINEA. Emery, 1887b: 468 (w.; not m., see Brown, 1953g: 118.) Combination in Strumigenys: Emery, 1887b: 468; in Strumigenys (Cephaloxys): Emery, 1924d: 324; in Smithistruma: Brown, 1948e: 105; in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 116. See also: Donisthorpe, 1948h: 80; Brown, 1953g: 117; Bolton, 2000: 395.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.6-2.8, HL 0.60-0.66, HW 0.51-0.55, CI 82-87, ML 0.15-0.16, MI 24-26, SL 0.30-0.33, SI 58-60, PW 0.36-0.38, AL 0.66-0.75 (10 measured).

Apicoscrobal hair stout, usually somewhat flattened or weakly remiform apically, never flagellate. Dorsum of the densely reticulate-punctate head with a transverse row of 4 standing hairs close to the occipital margin and with a single pair of similar hairs just in front of the highest point of the vertex. Eye with 4-5 ommatidia in the longest row. Pronotal humeral hair long and stout, usually slightly flattened or weakly remiform. Mesonotum with two pairs of standing hairs, the posterior pair the longest; these hairs weakly remiform to feebly clavate apically. Similar hairs occur on the petiole node (2 pairs), the postpetiole disc (3 pairs) and the first gastral tergite (3-4 transverse rows). Side of alitrunk reticulate-punctate except for the katepisternum which is mostly or entirely smooth and shining. Petiole in profile with the curved dorsal surface of the node at most as long as, usually shorter than, the anterior face of the node. In dorsal view the petiole node reticulate-punctate and distinctly broader than long. Disc of postpetiole finely and densely longitudinally costulate, usually obviously so but only feebly marked in some. In profile the ventral spongiform lobe of the postpetiole is smaller than the exposed area of the disc.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype queen, NEW GUINEA (A.R. Wallace) [examined].

Smith Types

Cephaloxys capitata

Holotype queen in. Labelled “N” (= New Guinea).