Strumigenys wallacei

Identification
Bolton (2000) 	- A member of the Strumigenys wallacei-group. S. wallacei is characterised within the group by its lack of a humeral hair, the shape of its mesonotum in profile and its completely reticulate-punctate lateral alitrunk. Apart from this Strumigenys diasphax has stout standing hairs on both head and promesonotum, and Strumigenys gnathosphax has two intercalary denticles and its scrobe is well developed behind the level of the eye; in wallacei standing hairs are absent from head and alitrunk, the apical fork lacks intercalary denticles and the scrobe is vestigial behind the eye. A closely related species, Strumigenys opaca, occurs in Australia.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, New Guinea.

Nomenclature

 *  wallacei. Strumigenys wallacei Emery, 1897c: 578, pl. 14, fig. 7 (w.) NEW GUINEA. See also: Brown, 1973c: 267; Bolton, 2000: 912.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.7-3.1, HL 0.68-0.84, HW 0.59-0.78, CI 86-95, ML 0.42-0.48, MI 52-62, SL 0.48-0.54, SI 68-80, PW 0.30-0.36, AL 0.64-0.78 (10 measured).

Apical fork of mandible without intercalary denticles. Scrobe in profile vestigial behind level of eye. Mesonotum in profile forming a prominent hump or bulge, with a nearvertical posterior declivity. Propodeum armed with a pair of narrow spines, subtended by weak carinae on the declivity. These latter may be slightly broadened ventrally but are not expanded into bluntly triangular projecting lobes. Ventral spongiform curtain of petiole narrow, at deepest only half the depth of the peduncle, or less. Dorsal surfaces of head and alitrunk without standing hairs; dorsolateral margin of head without projecting hairs and pronotal humeral hair absent. Dorsal surfaces of head and pronotum with appressed spatulate to narrowly scale-like hairs. Appressed anteriorly curved hairs that fringe upper scrobe margin minute, much smaller than hairs on leading edge of scape. First gastral tergite with erect stiff hairs that are thick and frequently weakly remiform. Entire side of alitrunk and disc of postpetiole reticulate-punctate.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Aitape (= Berlinhafen) (L. Biro) [examined].