Strumigenys mutica

Identification
Bolton (2000) - Differentiation of the three species media, mutica and Strumigenys yaleogyna depends primarily on the distribution of specialised hairs on the head and body. Wilson & Brown (1956) point out that this may not be enough to define the species accurately in this group, but for the present it remains the best method to confirm identity.

The diagnostic pilosity consists of erect to suberect stout remiform hairs on the head, alitrunk, waist segments and first gastral tergite, distributed as follows.

S. mutica: one or two pairs on head close to occipital margin, one pair on mesonotum, one pair on petiole, one or two pairs on postpetiole, at least one pair on basal half of first gastral tergite.

S. yaleogyna: one pair on head close to occipital margin, one pair on mesonotum, absent from petiole, postpetiole and base of first gastral tergite.

Strumigenys media: absent from all these locations.

Apart from pilosity characters the petiole node in dorsal view is broader than long in mutica, at least as broad as long in the other two and usually distinctly longer than broad in media. The postpetiole disc is almost or quite as densely reticulate-punctate as the petiole in mutica and media. It is much less densely sculptured in yaleogyna, where the disc may appear mostly smooth and shining.

Despite these features I remain dubious about the distinctivness of these species. The solution to the problem lies in the aquisition of much more material and a more detailed analysis than can be achieved here and now.

For the separation of Strumigenys takasago from these three, see under that name.

Bharti & Akbar (2013) - Member of the widely distributed mutica group which previously constituted the genus Kyidris now abandoned (Baroni Urbani & de Andrade, 1994; Bolton, 1999). The distinctive form of the mandibles (only apical half of each mandible with teeth while basal halves are edentate, forming a large gap between the mandibles) coupled with the compact biconvex mesosoma, propodeum usually unarmed and spongiform appendages of waist segments reduced. S. mutica with one or two pairs of specialized hairs on head close to occipital margin, one pair on mesonotum, one pair on petiole, one or two pairs on postpetiole and at least one pair on basal half of first gastral tergite differentiates it from closely related species S. yaleogyna and S. media which are lacking such distribution of hairs on head and body (Bolton, 2000).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore. Oriental Region: India. Palaearctic Region: China, Japan, Republic of Korea.

Nomenclature

 *  mutica. Kyidris mutica Brown, 1949d: 3, fig. 1 (w.) JAPAN. Wilson & Brown, 1956: 442 (q.m.); Imai, Kubota, et al. 1985: 47 (k.). Combination in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1672; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 124. Senior synonym of itoi: Brown & Yasumatsu, 1951: 94; of nuda: Brown, 1952c: 124. See also: Bolton, 2000: 455.
 * nuda. Kyidris nuda Brown, 1949d: 23 (q.) TAIWAN. Junior synonym of mutica: Brown, 1952c: 124.
 * itoi. Polyhomoa itoi Azuma, 1950: 36, figs. (w.) JAPAN. Junior synonym of mutica: Brown & Yasumatsu, 1951: 94.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker and paratype workers, JAPAN: Shikoku, Hirooka (Tosa) (H. Okamoto) (KU,, ) [examined].