Strumigenys charino

This species has been collected from the litter of rainforest and montane forest.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the abdera complex in the Strumigenys arnoldi-group. Within the arnoldi-group with 6 antennal segments, charino is separated from all other members by having: 1. Cephalic dorsum posterior of clypeal margin with rows of spoon-shaped hairs on anterior two thirds. 2. Pronotal humeri and mesonotum without erect hairs. 3. Base of first gastral tergite with a continuous row of well developed basal costulae. 4. Lamella of propodeal declivity very narrow in profile, approximately equal to width of eye.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  charino. Strumigenys charino Fisher, in Bolton, 2000: 630 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Holotype. TL 1.8, HL 0.44, HW 0.39, CI 89, ML 0.17, MI 38, SL 0.21, SI 54, PW 0.26, AL 0.47. Characters of abdera-complex. Right mandible with a spiniform preapical tooth; left mandible with a spiniform preapical tooth proximally and a minute distal preapical denticle. Cephalic dorsum posterior of clypeal margin with rows of spoon-shaped hairs on anterior two thirds; upper scrobe margin with spoon-shaped hairs. Cephalic dorsum with a transverse row of 4 erect, short clavate hairs near occipital margin. Pronotal humeral hair absent; mesonotum without standing hairs. Dorsum of alitrunk with short spatulate ground-pilosity. In profile, promesonotal dorsum very shallowly convex; propodeal dorsum more or less flat anteriorly, sloping posteriorly to the declivity and rounding into the sides. Propodeal tooth a small denticle incorporated in the very narrow lamella; in profile, width of lamella approximately the width of eye. Ventral spongiform tissue well developed and conspicuous on petiole and postpetiole. Base of first gastral tergite with a continuous row of well developed basal costulae. Color dull yellow to pale brown.

Paratypes. TL 1.8, HL 0.42-0.44, HW 0.38-0.40, CI 91-93, ML 0.16-0.17, MI 39-41, SL 0.20-0.22, SI 50-57, PW 0.24-0.26, AL 0.45-0.46 (3 measured). As holotype.

Measurements of non-paratypic material extends the range shown by the type-series: HL 0.45-0.48, HW 0.43-0.45, CI 95-96, ML 0.17-0.19, MI 38-40, SL 0.23-0.25, SI 53-56 (3 measured).

Type Material
Holotype worker, Madagascar: Fotodriana, Cap Masoala, 25 m., 15°41'49"S, 50°16'13"E, 27.xi.1993, rainforest, Winkler app. 160.13981w (G. D. Alpert).

Paratypes. 1 worker with same data as holotype but coded 160.13982w; 2 workers (one with gaster missing) with same data as holotype but coded 160.3635w, 160.3636w and labeled lowland rainforest (Alpert et al.).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Blaimer B. B., S. G. Brady, T. R. Schultz, and B. L. Fisher. 2015. Fucntional and phylogenetic approaches reveal the evolution of diversity in a hyper diverse biota. Ecography 38: 001-012.
 * Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
 * Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.