Strumigenys geryon

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. The only specimen of this species does not have pronotal humeral hairs and therefore keys out with species where this condition is known to be universal. However, it belongs to a group where the presence of such hairs is predominant, so there must be a suspicion that perhaps the humeral hairs have been lost from the holotype but will be present when fresh material is discovered. If this is the case then geryon will key out either with gryphon or among the New Caledonian relatives of lamia, depending on the form of the hair. The presence of three pairs of stiff erect mesonotal hairs will quickly separate geryon from the New Caledonian taxa, where they do not occur. Strumigenys gryphon is distinguished by its possession of very long femoral gland bullae, a small but distinct lateral spongiform lobe and spongiform ventral curtain on the petiole, and obviously spongiform larger lateral and ventral lobes on the postpetiole.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  geryon. Strumigenys geryon Bolton, 2000: 961, fig. 549 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.6, HL 0.64, HW 0.45, CI 70, ML 0.26, MI 41, SL 0.40, SI 89, PW 0.26, AL 0.65. With characters of signeae-complex. Apicoscrobal hair absent. Cephalic dorsum sharply reticulate-punctate and with narrowly spatulate curved ground pilosity. About 4 short inconspicuous standing hairs present on cephalic dorsum, located close to occipital margin; these hairs distinctly straighter and more elevated than the ground-pilosity but only slightly longer. Eye of moderate size, with 12 ommatidia in total. Pronotal humeral hair absent (see below); pronotal dorsum with 2 pairs of stiffly erect simple hairs and mesonotum with 3 similar pairs, the posterior pair the shortest. Entire dorsal alitrunk finely and densely reticulate-punctate, finest on pronotum. Propodeal declivity with posterior (free) margin of lamella shallowly concave. Katepisternum with a smooth median patch. Metapleuron and side of propodeum with a small patch where sculpture is weaker and more diffuse than elsewhere, that extends only over the uppermost portion of the metapleuron and lowermost portion of the side of the propodeum. Petiole with a very slender posterior transverse collar, entirely lacking a lateral spongiform lobe. Ventral curtain of petiole well developed but laminate rather than spongiform. Dorsum of petiole node feebly sculptured; postpetiole subglobular and glassy smooth. Lateral spongiform lobe of postpetiole very small, in dorsal view not extending to anterolateral corners of disc. Ventral lobe of postpetiole laminate rather than spongiform. Hairs on first gastral tergite very long and fine, curved filiform to flagellate. Basigastral costulae sparse (only about 7 in total) and distinctly shorter than disc of postpetiole.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Australia: South Australia, Aldgate, 1100 ft, 9.xi.1969, "Strumigenys perplexa E Sm.", in galleries of Amblyopone australis under large flat rock; (SA 247, 4 workers collected, (written on underside of labels)) (B. B. Lowery). [Note. Only the one worker present in ANIC collection.]