Strumigenys subterranea

A single worker from this species has been collected so far, found within a subterranean trap; a 15 mL falcon tube placed at a depth of 12.5 cm below the ground surface. It contained ethanol 70% and was baited with tuna mixed with honey. The trap was placed in young secondary forest and was operating continuously for a period of 21 days. Little is known about the ecology of this species. However, due to the extremely reduced eyes present on the specimen and its collection through a subterranean trap, it is here suggested that the species has subterranean habits. Further reinforcing this hypothesis is the fact that extensive sampling in Hong Kong and Macao over the past 6 years focusing on ground-dwelling and leaf-litter ants using Winklers and pitfall traps never yielded this species. Nevertheless, only a single worker was found within one out of 256 subterranean traps retrieved during our sampling on Coloane Island, which indicates this species is uncommon. Our data also suggests it cohabits within the same soil layer with other ant species, including other subterranean species. Indeed, we found within the same trap one worker of Pheidole ochracea and hundreds of workers of Carebara zengchengensis. Additionally, within the same quadrat (1 × 1 m) we also found C. zengchengensis at depths of 25, 37.5 and 50 cm, as well as Solenopsis jacoti and Buniapone amblyops at a depth of 50 cm.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 * . Strumigenys subterranea Brassard, Leong & Guénard, 2020: 65, figs. 2-4 (w.q.) CHINA.