Strumigenys bola

Collected close to a half dozen times in montane rainforest. Samples have been found in canopy litter, rotten logs and sifted (ground) litter.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the chroa complex in the Strumigenys scotti-group. S. bola is distinguished from other species in the chroa-complex by having the upper scrobe margin bluntly marginate and gradually fading posterior of eyes, without a sharply defined rim, mesonotum with one pair of hairs, and pronotal humeral hair flagellate.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  bola. Strumigenys bola Fisher, in Bolton, 2000: 672 (w.q.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Holotype. TL 3.0, HL 0.71, HW 0.50, CI 70, ML 0.37, MI 52, SL 0.46, SI 93, PW 0.30, AL 0.78. Characters of chroa-complex. Mandibles almost straight and at full closure parallel except at base. Apicoventral fork tooth with a denticle basally on its ventral surface. A narrow lamella present on inner margin of mandible from base to proximal preapical tooth; in full-face view inner margin of lamella more or less straight. Upper scrobe margin rounding into the sides behind level of eye, bluntly marginate. Eye large, the maximum diameter distinctly greater than the maximum width of the scape. Hairs on leading edge of scape slender and filiform. Upper scrobe margin with similar shaped hairs as scape and terminating in an erect narrowly clavate apicoscrobal hair. Cephalic dorsum with curved narrow spatulate to spoon-shaped ground-pilosity. Cephalic dorsum with 4 simple standing hairs arranged in a transverse row close to the occipital margin and a pair situated more anteriorly. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate. Anterior margin of mesonotum with a pair of filiform to narrowly clavate hairs. Ground-pilosity on alitrunk as on head but sparser. Dorsum of alitrunk in outline convex anteriorly and more or less flat posteriorly. Propodeal teeth slender and acute; lamella on declivity vestigial. Lateral margin of declivity with a small posteriorly projecting hair at level of the propodeal spiracle. Alitrunk dorsum reticulate-punctate; pleurae mostly smooth and shiny. Postpetiole disc finely longitudinally costulate laterally, smooth and shiny medially. Ventral spongiform tissue of petiole forming a narrow strip which decreases in depth anteriorly before forming a small acute anterior tooth; lateral spongiform lobe vestigial or absent. Postpetiole with distinct lateral and ventral spongiform lobes. Base of first gastral tergite with sparse costulae laterally. Dorsal surfaces of petiole, postpetiole and gaster with stout standing hairs which are thickened apically. Colour dull yellowish brown.

Paratypes. TL 3.0-3.2, HL 0.68-0.76, HW 0.46-0.52, CI 68-72, ML 0.33-0.37, MI 48-52, SL 0.43-0.47, SI 87-96, PW 0.30-0.33, AL 0.76-0.82 (8 measured). As holotype.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Madagascar: 9.2 km. WSW Befingotra, Res. Anjanaharibe-Sud, 14°45'S, 49°28'E, 1200 m., 10.xi.1994, canopy leaf litter, moss; montane rainforest #1206 (B. L. Fisher).

Paratypes. 1 worker and 1 queen (dealate) with same data as holotype; 3 workers and 1 queen with same data as holotype but coded #1203; 4 workers with same data as holotype but 1180 m., 7.xi.1994 and coded 1173; 3 workers with same data has holotype but labeled sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood) and coded 1192 (1)-6, (37)-10, (40)-5.