Strumigenys sulcata

Strumigenys sulcata is known from most of the Fiji’s major islands, and nests have been found in wet, decaying logs (Sarnat and Economo).

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. The striking sculpture of this large species renders it unlikely to be confused with any other in the region. See notes under Strumigenys mailei.

Sarnat and Economo (2012) - Strumigenys sulcata is a relatively large dark reddish brown species with the dorsal surfaces of the mesosoma and postpetiole deeply sulcate. The rugae of the dorsum of head and sides of mesosoma are also primarily longitudinal, but less regular and more reticulated. The petiole lacks a distinct node. Instead, the peduncle arches gradually into the posterior margin. Like other members of the signeae complex, S. sulcata lacks lamella lining the propodeal spines or any flagellate hairs. The complex is discussed in more detail under the identification notes for Strumigenys mailei.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Fiji.

Nomenclature

 *  sulcata. Strumigenys sulcata Bolton, 2000: 828 (w.q.) FIJI IS.

Worker
Holotype. TL 3.7, HL 0.98, HW 0.69, CI 70, ML 0.47, MI 48, SL 0.62, SI 90, P W 0.43, AL 1.08. Characters of signeae-complex. Dorsolateral margin of head without freely laterally projecting hairs, even apicoscrobal hair absent. Cephalic dorsum with 2-4 short erect hairs along occipital margin; without standing hairs anterior to this. Scrobe absent behind level of eye. Cephalic dorsum coarsely longitudinally rugose, spaces between the rugae finely punctate. Pronotal humeral hair absent and pronotal dorsum without erect hairs. Mesonotum with a single pair of erect simple hairs. Entire dorsal alitrunk broadly and continuously longitudinally sulcate; side of alitrunk with similar but distinctly less regular sculpture. Propodeal teeth not subtended by a lamella. Petiole in profile subclaviform, the node without a differentiated anterior face; instead the peduncle grades into the dorsum through an even shallowly convex curve. Ventral spongiform curtain of petiole narrow, its maximum depth much less than that of peduncle. Lateral spongiform lobe of petiole small, merely a slight extension of the posterior collar. Disc of postpetiole longitudinally sulcate, the sulci smaller and finer than on the dorsal alitrunk. First gastral tergite with sparse (2-3 pairs) simple erect hairs. Basigastral costulae distinct but very short, scarcely longer than limbus.

Paratypes. TL 3.6-3.8, HL 0.92-1.00, HW 0.65-0.74, CI 68-74, ML 0.44-0.48, MI 46-49, SL 0.58-0.64, SI 87-94, PW 0.41-0.47, AL 1.04-1.11 (4 measured). In two of the paratypes the sulcate sculpture on the pronotum is transverse rather than longitudinal. As there are also morphological differences to the mesothorax between these and the rest of the type-series I suspect that they are ergatoid queens, not workers.

Non-paratypic workers of the Namosi/Queens Rd Divide series are large and have narrower heads and longer scapes than the remainder: HL 1.02-1.06, HW 0.64-0.67, CI 63-64, ML 0.49-0.50, MI 47-48, SL 0.66-0.68, SI 100-103.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Fiji Is: Vanua Levu, Nedreketi, 25.x.1977, litter, wood, No. 77/127 (G. Kuschel).

Paratypes. 5 workers and 2 ergatoid queens (see note under paratype workers) with same data as holotype (ANIC, ).