Strumigenys ogyga

Apparently a ground nesting forest inhabitant. Specimens have been collected from montane rainforest and evergreen forest and found in a rotten log, a chamber in a tuber, and a litter-sample.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys oxysma-group. The uniformly dense, sharp reticulate-punctate sculpture that covers the clypeus and the very restricted distribution of hairs on the clypeal disc characterise ogyga. All other members of the group have more numerous clypeal hairs and a less strongly sculptured clypeus. In addition Strumigenys mira has minute eyes and straight hairs that project at right-angles from the leading edge of the scape; Strumigenys sardonica has abundant long arched pilosity on the head; Strumigenys oxysma has two pairs of large, clavate recurved hairs that project laterally from the anterior clypeal margin; Strumigenys anarta, apart from the characters mentioned in the key, has only a single flagellate hair (easily lost) projecting from the dorsolateral margin of the head on the occipital lobe.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: South Africa.

Nomenclature

 *  ogyga. Pyramica ogyga Bolton, 2000: 324, fig. 213 (w.m.) SOUTH AFRICA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 125

Worker
Holotype. TL 1.9, HL 0.50, HW 0.34, CI 68, ML 0.07, MI 14, SL 0.26, SI 76, PW 0.22, L 0.50. Clypeus in full-face view with a single pair of laterally projecting stout hairs arising close to the apex of the anterior margin. These hairs are remiform to clavate apically, project laterally beyond the outer margins of the closed mandibles and then curve posteriorly. Lateral margins of clypeus behind this pair of hairs only with one or two pair of minute arched hairs that may be difficult to see. Dorsum of clypeus near posterior margin with an arched row of 4 short clavate hairs that curve posteromedially and are less than half the length of the anterior pair; dorsum otherwise hairless. Clypeus blanketed everywhere with evenly distributed fine, dense reticulate-punctate sculpture, the individual punctures small but very sharply defined. Cephalic dorsum to highest point of vertex with short spatulate hairs that curve medially or posteromedially; behind highest point hairs curve anteriorly. Dorsolateral margins of head with 1 - 2 pairs of fine projecting elongate hairs (missing from holotype), the leading edges of the scapes with apically directed small spatulate hairs only. Pronotal dorsum mostly smooth but with vestiges of faint longitudinal costulae and some weak punctulate vestiges. Posterior collars of petiole and postpetiole laminate rather than spongiform.

Paratypes. TL 1.8-2.0, HL 0.48-0.51, HW 0.32 - 0.35, CI 67-69, ML 0.07-0.08, MI 13-16, SL 0.24-0.28, SI 74-80, PW 0.20-0.22, AL 0.48-0.52 (8 measured). The long laterally projecting hairs of the upper scrobe margins seem easily dislodged in this species; in relatively few paratypes are all four such hairs present.

Type Material
Holotype worker, South Africa: South Cape Prov., Tsitsikama, Lottering For. Res., 12.xii.1979, E-Y 1419, sifting (S. Endrody-Younga).

Paratypes. 8 workers with same data as holotype; 5 workers and 2 males, South Africa: Cape Prov., Kaimansrivier Estuary, George Ski Club site, 3322DC, 24.ii.1989, found within hollowed out Myrsophyllum asparagoides tuber-cavity previously occupied by unknown insect, SAM-HYM-COO 1537 (C.A. Kleinjan) (TVM,, ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65