Strumigenys mailei

A Fiji endemic known from wet forest habitats. All of the collections have been from litter samples and nothing is known about its biology.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. The Fijian endemic species with characters of the signeae-complex appear to represent a single adaptive radiation on the islands. The variation of pilosity and sculpture characters that they show overlaps other aggregations of species in the complex. However, their combination of scrobe, propodeal and petiolar features, noted in the introduction to this complex, is not duplicated by other members. In addition the four Fijian species have relatively long scapes, with a combined range of SI 87-103. The remainder of the signeae-complex has a range of SI 54-93.

Of the four species included here two are instantly recognisable. Strumigenys sulcata has the head coarsely longitudinally rugose, the dorsal alitrunk completely covered with broad longitudinal sulcate sculpture; the postpetiole disc is also sulcate but more finely so. Strumigenys tumida has a very short preapical tooth on the mandible, the postpetiole disc is strongly swollen and densely reticulate-punctate, and the metapleuron and side of the propodeum are uniformly reticulate-punctate.

The other two, mailei and Strumigenys praefecta, lack these striking features and are closely related. They differ as the former has a humeral hair present, has traces of oblique costulate sculpture posteriorly on the side of the pronotum and has a shorter, broader petiole node. These are lacking in the latter, and in addition the apical antennomere of praejecta is more narrowed and slender basally than in mailei.

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

Nomenclature

 *  mailei. Strumigenys mailei Wilson & Taylor, 1967: 38, fig. 28 (w.) SAMOA. Dlussky, 1993: 59 (q.). See also: Bolton, 2000: 823.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.4-2.9, HL 0.62-0.74, HW 0.43-0.50, CI 66-70, ML 0.29-0.34, MI 46-50, SL 0.38-0.45, SI 88-92, PW 0.28-0.31, AL 0.66-0.81 (9 measured).

Characters of signeae-complex. With head in profile scrobe absent behind level of eye. Dorsolateral margin of head with a short simple fine hair in apicoscrobal position and margin posterior to this with 1-2 projecting short hairs; these hairs directed more dorsally than laterally. Cephalic dorsum with a transverse row of 4-6 erect hairs at occipital margin and with a single pair of standing hairs at or just in front of highest point of vertex. Pronotal humeral hair short and stiff, straight and simple. Pronotal dorsum with 1-2 pairs of short erect hairs, mesonotum also with 1-2 pairs. Dorsal alitrunk entirely reticulate-punctate. Side of alitrunk with katepisternum smooth; metapleuron and side of propodeum partially to mostly smooth and shining. Propodeal teeth acute, free; propodeal declivity carinate, the carina concave and closely paralleling the curve of the declivity. Petiole node reticulate-punctate dorsally; in profile lateral spongiform lobe small, confined to posterolateral portion of node; anterior face of node shorter than length of dorsum. Disc of postpetiole glassy smooth. First gastral tergite with short stiff simple standing hairs.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, SAMOA: Upolu, Afiamalu, 700 m., 15.iii.1962, rain forest, berlesate of moss on tree, 10-12 m. from ground, no. 581 (R. W. Taylor); paratype worker, FIJI IS: Viti Levu, Navai Mill, nr Nandarivatu, 800 m., 17.ix.1938 (E. C. Zimmerman) [examined].