Strumigenys thanikkudyensis

This species seems to be infrequent from Western Ghats. One specimen was collected by handpicking method from Thanikkudy region of Periyar Tiger Reserve. It is a primary undisturbed tropical moist evergreen forest. The area is situated at an elevation of 1003 meters, a shady place with minimum of sunlight penetration.

Identification
Bharti & Akbar (2013) - A member of the godeffroyi-group that is characterized by apical fork of mandible having 2 spiniform teeth with 2 intercalary denticles; a single preapical tooth, anterior clypeal margin shallowly concave and apical antennomere unconstricted basally. With dorsal surface of hind basitarsus lacking any erect filiform or flagellate hairs, the new species is placed in signeae-complex of godeffroyi-group. While using Bolton`s (2000) key, S. thanikkudyensis keys with Strumigenys ortholex. The two species however are easily separated. S. ortholex has dorsolateral margin of head in full-face view with a row of small, closely applied spatulate ground-pilosity, disc of postpetiole with one pair and first gastral tergite with two pairs of flagellate hairs, second gastral tergite also with flagellate hairs, disc of postpetiole finely longitudinally costulate and spongiform tissue of postpetiole well developed; whilst S. thanikkudyensis has dorsolateral margin of head in full-face view without any row of small, closely applied spatulate ground-pilosity, disc of postpetiole and first gastral tergite without any flagellate hairs, second gastral tergite has some erect hairs but not long flagellate hairs, disc of postpetiole is reticulate-punctate and spongiform tissue of postpetiole is reduced. The new species is aberrant in many characters with antennal scrobes absent behind eyes, propodeal declivity with narrow carina (no lamella), without pronotal humeral hairs; dorsal surfaces of head, mesosoma and frequently also first gastral tergite lacking standing hairs and dorsal surface of hind basitarsus lacking erect filiform or flagellate hairs.

Key to Strumigenys of India

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: India, India.

Nomenclature

 *  thanikkudyensis. Strumigenys thanikkudyensis Bharti & Akbar, 2013: 389, figs. 4, 5, 6 (w.) INDIA.

Worker
HL 0.69; HW 0.52; ML 0.31; EL 0.06; SL 0.41; PW 0.25; WL 0.66; PTH 0.18; PTL 0.16; PPTH 0.18; PPTL 0.13; GL 0.60; GW 0.46; TL 2.25; CI 75; MI 44; SI 59.

Head. Longer than broad (CI 75), posterior head margin shallowly concave; mandibles elongate, linear, produced into narrow projecting blades, longer than broad (MI 44), preapical tooth elongate-pointed, greater than the width of mandible at point where tooth arises; outer margin of mandible in full-face view shallowly convex from base to apex; inner margin between same points shallowly concave; Labral trigger hairs prominent, paired; anterior clypeal margin trans-verse; antennal scrobes absent behind eyes, lateral; preocular notch absent; maximum diameter of eye slightly greater than the maximum width of the scape: eyes lateral, situated in front of midlength of head, with 5-7 ommatidia across the greatest diameter; antennae 6-segmented, first funicular segment separated from the larger apical and preapical segments by two small segments.

Mesosoma. Pronotum slightly convex to flat; mesonotum narrow, propodeum flat to shallowly convex; propodeal spines thin, long; propodeal declivity with propodeal lamella very narrow, engaging only extreme base of spine.

Metasoma. Node of petiole globular; almost as long as broad; lateral spongiform lobe in profile restricted to the extreme posterior margin of the node; ventral surface with reduced longitudinal spongiform or laminate crest; postpetiolar spongiform tissue reduced, confined to periphery of sclerite.

Sculpture. Body uniformly reticulate-punctuate. Head and mesosomal dorsum finely reticulate-punctate; petiole and postpetiole finely micro-reticulate; pleurae and side of propodeum finely reticulate-punctate; disc of postpetiole smooth; basigastral costulae shorter than disc of postpetiole.

Vestiture. Cephalic dorsum with appressed, very narrow simple ground-pilosity but without erect hairs, even lacking the usual row near the occipital margin. Dorsal mesosoma with sparse appressed ground pilosity, without standing hairs anywhere, without a pronotal humeral hair. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole without standing hairs. Few erect hairs present on dorsal surface of gastral segments.

Colour. Light yellowish brown with gaster darker in colouration than rest of the body.

Type Material
Holotype (worker): India: Kerala, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thanikkudy, 9°.30`N, 77°.16`E, 1003 m a.s.l., 15.x.2011, hand picking method (coll. Shahid A. Akbar). Holotype in.

Etymology
The species is named after its type locality Thanikkudy, part of Periyar Tiger Reserve.