Strumigenys marginata

Known from numerous habitats, the still meager number of records of this species have all been collected from litter samples.

Identification
Bolton (2000) – A member of the Strumigenys marginata-group. The two known species of the group are easily separated. S. marginata: Antenna with 4 segments. Pronotum with sharp raised lateral marginations, Dorsal alitrunk unsculptured except for median carina. HW 0.25-0.30; MI 8-10; SI 64-67. Strumigenys rusta: Antenna with 6 segments. Pronotum without sharp raised lateral marginations. Dorsal alitrunk punctate to reticulate-punctate at least on mesonotum. HW 0.36-0.38; MI 12-14; SI 70-78.

Bolton (1983) - One of the few Smithistruma (= Strumigenys) species to have 4-segmented antennae, marginata is separated from all others with this antennomere count by the shape of its clypeus and lack of clypeal pilosity, by its strongly marginate pronotum and possession of a median longitudinal ridge or carina on the pronotal dorsum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Nomenclature

 *  marginata. Epitritus marginatus Santschi, 1914b: 114, fig. 21 (w.q.) KENYA. Combination in Miccostruma: Brown, 1948e: 123; in Smithistruma: Bolton, 1983: 312; in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 123. See also: Bolton, 2000: 320.

Worker
Bolton (1983) - TL 1.2-1.3, HL 0.40-0.43, HW 0.26-0.28, CI 64-68, ML 0.04, MI 8-10, SL 0.17-0.18, SI 64-67, PW 0.16-0.18, AL 0.37-0.39 (10 measured).

Mandible with a low basal lamella, not a high triangle or high rectangle with concave sides, the lamella not or just visible when the mandibles are closed. No diastema between basal lamella of mandible and basal most tooth. Principal dental row consisting of 7 teeth, followed by 4 minute denticles and a small apical tooth. In full-face view the outer margins of the fully closed mandibles diverging posteriorly but intersecting the shallowly convex anterior margin of the clypeus well in from the rounded anterolateral angles; the outer margins of the mandibles and the lateral clypeal margins not forming a more or less continuous line. Clypeus absolutely devoid of hairs, without fringing pilosity and lacking dorsal pilosity. Lateral margins of clypeus straight and parallel, rounding anteriorly into the shallowly convex anterior margin, continuous posteriorly with the parallel preocular laminae. Disc of clypeus without a tumulus, with scattered minute pubescence visible under high magnification and with its posteriormost portion slightly raised into a low blunt prominence between the frontal lobes. Upper scrobe margins in full-face view evenly curved-divergent behind the frontal lobes, with a maximum of three laterally projecting flagellate hairs on each side, though these seem to be lost easily by abrasion. Dorsum of head with very fine sparse simple curved short ground-pilosity and with two pairs of long curved to flagellate hairs. Dorsum of clypeus finely shagreened or granular, dorsum of head finely reticulate-punctate. Antennae with 4 segments, the scapes curved in the basal third, not dorsoventrally flattened beyond the curve; their leading edges with fine apically curved simple hairs which are decumbent to appressed. Eyes small, their maximum diameter only about 0.07 X HW and distinctly less than the maximum width of the scape. Pronotum sharply marginate anteriorly and laterally and with a strong mid-dorsal longitudinal ridge or carina which may be doubled for part or most of its length. Mesonotum laterally less strongly marginate than pronotum but propodeum sharply marginate to the base of the teeth. Mesonotal dorsum usually with a continuation of the pronotal median carina but this may be poorly developed or faint in some individuals. The dorsal alitrunk with a transverse crest or slightly raised step between the mesonotum and propodeum. Dorsal alitrunk with scattered sparse ground-pilosity which is short fine and decumbent, and with three pairs of flagellate hairs distributed as follows. First pair on pronotal humeri, directed dorsolaterally; second pair at approximate mid length of lateral pronotal margination, directed dorsally; third pair on mesonotal margin posteriorly, close to the transverse crest, directed dorsally. Propodeal teeth laminar and continuous with the broad infradental lamellae which run the length of the declivity on each side. Sides of alitrunk unsculptured. Pronotal dorsum mostly smooth but in some with the faintest vestiges of patchy superficial sculpture. Mesonotum posteriorly with faint vestiges of reticular sculpture; propodeum smooth. Spongiform appendages of petiole and postpetiole strongly developed and very voluminous in profile, but in dorsal view only the posterior margin of each segment bounded by spongiform tissue and on the postpetiole the transverse spongiform material is interrupted posteromedially. Disc of postpetiole unsculptured, its posterior margin slightly indented medially. Both pedicel segments with fine curved hairs, some of which are long and subflagellate. First gastral tergite with 5 or 6 basigastral costulae on each side of the midline, otherwise the gaster unsculptured. Gastral pilosity simple and sparse, consisting of scattered fine short hairs which are decumbent to appressed and even sparser suberect to erect fine hairs which are longer. Legs with appressed pubescence only, without standing hairs. Colour uniform dull yellow to yellowish brown.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers and queen, KENYA: Shimoni, st. no. 9, xi.1911 (Ch. Alluaud & R. Jeannel) [examined].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Belshaw R., and B. Bolton. 1994. A survey of the leaf litter ant fauna in Ghana, West Africa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3: 5-16.
 * Bolton B. 1983. The Afrotropical dacetine ants (Formicidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 46: 267-416.
 * Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
 * IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
 * Kone M., S. Konate, K. Yeo, P. K. Kouassi, and K. E. Linsenmair. 2012. Changes in ant communities along an age gradient of cocoa cultivation in the Oumé region, central Côte dIvoire. Entomological Science 15: 324339.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004
 * Yeo K., T. Delsinne, S. Komate, L. L. Alonso, D. Aidara, and C. Peeters. 2016. Diversity and distribution of ant assemblages above and below ground in a West African forest–savannah mosaic (Lamto, Cote d’Ivoire). Insectes Sociaux DOI 10.1007/s00040-016-0527-6