Strumigenys vescops

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys capitata-group. Within the group all species except vescops and Strumigenys mumfordi have a pair or transverse row of 4 standing hairs close to the occipital margin, and a pair of similar hairs just in front of the highest point of the vertex. In vescops and mumfordi the row of 4 is present but they lack the more anteriorly situated pair. Beside this, both species have the apicoscrobal hairs stout and blunt, contrasting strongly with the very long fine flagellate hairs that arise from the pronotal humeri. The two are simple to distinguish as the eye in vescops is extremely small, of only two pigmented ommatidia, and its pleurae and propodeal sides are smooth and shining. In mumfordi the eye obviously has more than two ommatidia and the metapleuron and propodeal sides are reticulate-punctate.

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

Nomenclature

 *  vescops. Pyramica vescops Bolton, 2000: 409 (w.) WEST MALAYSIA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 130

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.1, HL 0.54, HW 0.42, CI 78, ML 0.12, MI 22, SL 0.28, SI 67, PW 0.28, AL 0.54. Apicoscrobal hair elongate, remiform to weakly clavate apically. Spatulate projecting hairs on leading edge of scape stout and very conspicuous. Standing stout hairs on dorsum of head restricted to a transverse row of 4 close to the occipital margin; without an isolated pair just in front of the highest point of the vertex. Spatulate ground-pilosity of head distinctly elevated and curved. Eye minute, consisting of only 2 small pigmented ommatidia. Dorsum of head everywhere densely and coarsely reticulate-punctate. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate. Mesonotum with a single pair of very long, erect, weakly curved, remiform hairs. Short, somewhat elevated, curved-spatulate ground-pilosity conspicuous on promesonotum. Dorsal alitrunk more finely reticulate-punctate than the head. Pleurae and side of propodeum smooth and shining. Lamella on propodeal declivity broad, punctulate. Petiole node punctulate, slightly broader than long in dorsal view; postpetiole disc broader than long and glassy smooth. In profile petiole node short, evenly rounded dorsally and with two pairs of long, recurved stout hairs. Ventral spongiform strip of petiole extends the visible length of the segment. In dorsal view the outline of the postpetiole disc completely surrounded by spongiform tissue. First gastral tergite smooth except for the short basigastral costulae that scarcely extend beyond the limits of the limbus. Standing hairs numerous on first tergite, blunt to feebly expanded apically.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Malaysia: (“Malaya” on data label), Selangor, Gombak, 2.x.1973, rotten wood on forest floor (B. Bolton).