Strumigenys ekasura

Collected from numerous forest habitats, primarily via litter sampling.

Identification
Bolton (2000) – A member of the smythiesii complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. See notes under Strumigenys lichiaensis.

Sarnat and Economo (2012) - Strumigenys ekasura is part of the smythiesii complex, and is characterized by abundant freestranding flagellate pilosity, a sculptured postpetiolar disc, and conspicuous basigastral pilosity. The species is most similar to Strumigenys chernovi, from which it can be separated by the single laterally projecting fine hairs on each upper scrobe margin and lack of propodeal lamellae. See the identification section under S. chernovi for additional characters to separate it from its Fijian relatives.

Distribution
Fiji. Sarnat and Economo (2012) - widespread, recorded from most of the major islands with the exception of Taveuni and Ovalau.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Fiji.

Nomenclature

 *  ekasura. Strumigenys ekasura Bolton, 2000: 807 (w.) FIJI IS.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.3, HL 0.60, HW 0.42, CI 70, ML 0.22, MI 37, SL 0.35, SI 83, PW 0.27, AL 0.62. Characters of smythiesii-complex. Preapical tooth of mandible shorter than maximum width of mandible, its length about equal to width of mandible at point where it arises. Apicoscrobal hair flagellate. Upper scrobe margin anterior to apicoscrobal hair with long fine simple ground-pilosity. Cephalic dorsum finely minutely reticulate-rugulose, spaces between rugular meshes reticulate-punctate. Ground-pilosity of cephalic dorsum simple; 1-2 pairs of longer, anteriorly curved fine standing hairs at the occipital margin but without such hairs anterior to this, only the elevated ground-pilosity present. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate. Promesonotal dorsum with long curved ground-pilosity; in addition apparently with 1 pair of erect flagellate hairs on pronotum and 2-3 pairs on mesonotum. Promesonotal dorsum punctate to reticulate-punctate; propodeal dorsum with faint superficial sculpture only, more shining than promesonotum but not glassy smooth; propodeal declivity smooth. Side of pronotum mostly smooth; mesopleuron, metapleuron and side of propodeum smooth and highly polished. Propodeal tooth short, narrowly triangular, subtended by a narrow cuticular carina whose posterior (free) margin is concave. Dorsal surface of hind femur with 2 erect fine sub flagellate hairs; ventral surface with 3-4 similar hairs. One or two long erect sub flagellate hairs also present on dorsal (outer) surface of hind tibia. With petiole in profile the dorsum of the node much longer than its short oblique anterior face; lateral spongiform lobe small, restricted to posterior margin of node. Dorsum of petiole node weakly punctate; disc of postpetiole finely and densely longitudinally costulate-striolate, spaces between costulae finely shagreenate. Ventral lobe of postpetiole spongiform, not membranous and blister-like. First gastral tergite with erect flagellate hairs and long ground-pilosity. Basigastral costulae dense, slightly longer than disc of postpetiole but not extending half the length of the tergite; spaces between costulae superficially shagreenate.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Fiji Is: Vanua Levu, Kontiki, 19 km. E of Savusavu, 18.vii.1987, QM Berlesate No. 782, 16.48'S, 179.26 ' E, 20 m., secondary rainforest, sieved litter (G. Monteith).