Strumigenys weberi

One of the few collections of this species was made from a rainforest litter sample.

Identification
A member of the Strumigenys weberi-group.

Bolton (1983) - Known only from the holotype weberi is one of three species in the group which combine an unsculptured postpetiolar disc and an impressed metanotal groove. The other species showing these two characters together are Strumigenys kerasma and Strumigenys mekaha; weberi can be separated from these two species as follows:

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda.

Nomenclature

 *  weberi. Smithistruma weberi Brown, 1959c: 7, fig. 4 (w.) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 130. See also: Bolton, 1983: 311. See also: Bolton, 2000: 341.

Worker
TL 2.3, HL 0.61, HW 0.39, CI 64, ML 0.07, MI 11, SL 0.28, SI 72, PW 0.28, AL 0.58.

Basal lamella of mandible a high truncated rectangle with concave sides. Basalmost tooth on mandible small, separated from the basal lamella by a small diastema. Second tooth from base the longest, the third about twice longer than the basalmost. The three teeth of the principal row following the second (longest) tooth are about the same size and are followed distally by 2 smaller teeth, 4 minute denticles and a small apical tooth. Anterior clypeal margin more or less transverse, only very feebly sinuate. Lateral clypeal margins irregular, feebly convergent anteriorly and with rounded anterolateral corners. With the head in full-face view the lateral clypeal margins with a few anteriorly curved simple short hairs and with a number of anterolaterally or laterally projecting stout long hairs which are upcurved in their apical halves and feebly clavate apically. Such hairs also present on clypeal dorsum where they curve posteromedially, and on the sides of the head where they curve upwards and forwards. Dorsum of head behind clypeus with small simple anteriorly curved hairs which are closely applied to the surface and with longer stout hairs similar in shape and size to those on the clypeus, the longer subclavate hairs feebly curved anteriorly or anteromedially. Cephalic dorsum strongly densely reticulate-rugulose. Antennal scape weakly bent in its basal third, broadest at about the midlength and having the leading edge equipped with freely projecting curved hairs which also occur on its dorsal surface. Maximum diameter of eye 0.18 X HW. Pronotum not marginate laterally and without a median longitudinal ridge or carina dorsally. With the alitrunk in profile the metanotal groove distinctly impressed. Propodeal teeth very small and triangular, subtended by a conspicuous infradental lamella whose free posterior margin is almost straight, not evenly concave as is usual in this group. Dorsal surfaces of pronotum, mesonotum, petiole, postpetiole and gaster with numerous simple fine hairs which may be subflagellate, looped or arched, without large subclavate hairs similar to those on the head. Sides of pro no tum and propodeum rugulose, the mesopleuron finely punctate and the metapleuron almost smooth. Dorsum of pronotum and mesonotum densely reticulate-rugulose, the propodeal dorsum densely punctate and the declivity smooth. Petiole dorsum irregularly rugulose; postpetiolar disc smooth. First gastral tergite with sharply defined but short basal costulae. Spongiform appendages of pedicel segments strongly developed in profile. In dorsal view the petiole node with a broad posterior spongiform strip whose free margin is shallowly concave medially. Disc of postpetiole surrounded by spongiform material, the strip bordering the posterior margin broadest posterolaterally, narrowing medially and sharply indented at the midpoint, the indentation reaching the margin of the disc itself. Base of first gastral tergite with a broad band of spongiform material from which the basigastral costulae emerge. Colour medium brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker, ZAIRE: Ango, ii.-iii.1948, no 2170 (N. A. Weber) [examined].