Strumigenys canina

One of the most common species of Strumigenys in Hong Kong, collected in a variety of habitats including trees along roadsides, shrubland, tree plantation (Lophostemon confertus Wilson & Waterh.), bamboo forest, secondary forest and Feng Shui woods. Known elevation range in Hong Kong from 29 to 474 m. In a Winkler sample collected on October 8th, 2018, 149 workers, 3 queens, 1 larva of a gyne, 24 alate gynes, and 1 male were collected altogether, potentially belonging to the same colony (Tang et al., 2019).

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys sauteri-group. Fully described and figured by Brown & Boisvert (1979), this is the most derived member of the group. S. canina is instantly distinguished from all others in the group by its relatively long narrow mandibles (MI 19-22) and unique dentition (see discussion of sauteri-group, above). On the masticatory margin tooth 5 from the base is by far the longest and broadest, easily visible in full-face view even when the mandibles are fully closed. The anterior clypeal margin is broadly, shallowly but evenly concave in full-face view. In the other three species (Strumigenys arges, Strumigenys brontes, Strumigenys sauteri) together the mandibles are much shorter (MI 6-10), the fifth tooth from the base is not markedly the longest and broadest on the masticatory margin, and is not conspicuous in full-face view when the mandibles are fully closed. The anterior clypeal margin in these species is deeply and quite narrowly concave, the concavity usually appearing deeply semicircular with a pronounced anteriorly projecting anterolateral angle at each side of the concave area.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Vietnam. Palaearctic Region: China, Japan, Republic of Korea.

Biology
Masuko (1984) studied the hunting behaviour of S. canina and also observed and reported on what he called "body smearing behavior" (see Strumigenys behavior).

Malaise trapping in Hong Kong, Tang et al. (2019) collected female and male alates in sampling conducted from mid-Juneto mid-July.

Nomenclature

 *  canina. Pentastruma canina Brown & Boisvert, 1979: 203, figs. 2-4 (w.q.m.) JAPAN. Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 116. See also: Bolton, 2000: 463.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, paratype workers and queen, JAPAN: Honshu, Kanagawa Pref., Manazuru, 4. iv.1968, 20.x.1968, 5.i.1973 (M. Kubota); paratype workers, queens, males, JAPAN: Honshu, Shizuoka Pref., Hamaoka, 15.xi.1976 (R. Egawa); Chiba Pref., Kiyosumiyama, viii.1976 (T. Kannari); Wakayama Pref., Shirahama, 6.i.1971 (M. Kubota); Kyushu, Miyazaki Pref., Miyazaki-jingu, 18.vii.1971 (M. Shindo) [examined].

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