Strumigenys emeryi

Apparently common within its range, this species has been found in many winkler samples from forest habitats across a wide range of elevation.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys emeryi-group. There are four species in the group (emeryi, Strumigenys humata, Strumigenys lacacoca, Strumigenys micretes) that combine the following characters.

1 Propodeal lamella broad and its free posterior margin mostly straight or convex.

2 Propodeal lacuna conspicuous.

3 Relatively deep ventral spongiform curtain on petiole.

4 All elongate pilosity on alitrunk and gaster flagellate.

Of these lacacoca is isolated by its possession of two pairs of long erect flagellate hairs on the cephalic dorsum where every other member of this complex, and of the group as a whole, has them stiff and simple or spatulate. S. micretes has predominantly reticulate-punctate sculpture on the promesonotum and also has such sculpture on the dorsal petiole node. Costulate pronotal sculpture is either absent in micretes or is very feebly developed and obviously secondary to the reticulate-punctate component. In the remaining two species promesonotal sculpture is mainly or entirely of longitudinal costulae or rugulae, and rugulae are present on the dorsum of the petiole node. S. humata tends to be larger than emeryi, and to have a narrower head and longer scapes. It also has longitudinal costulae traversing the postpetiole disc and an extremely reduced preapical tooth.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  emeryi. Strumigenys (Strumigenys) emeryi Mann, 1922: 37, fig. 18 (w.q.) HONDURAS. See also: Brown, 1959a: 97; Bolton, 2000: 513.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.4-3.2, HL 0.60-0.76, HW 0.48-0.63, CI 79-83, ML 0.37-0.46, MI 57-64, SL 0.40-0.52, SI 81-89, PW 0.30-0.38, AL 0.64-0.80 (12 measured).

Mandible with a single small but stout preapical tooth, variable in size but apparently always present, located close to the apicodorsal tooth. More proximally there is usually a minute denticle on the dorsal inner margin, though this is not always apparent. Both pairs of standing hairs on cephalic dorsum stiff, simple to spatulate. Flagellate hairs present in apicoscrobal position and on pronotal humerus; a flagellate pair present on mesonotum and similar hairs numerous on waist segments and first gastral tergite. Pronotal dorsum weakly and superficially to quite strongly longitudinally costulate or rugulose; spaces between these longitudinal components almost smooth to superficially punctulate, but any punctulate sculpture that is present is always distinctly secondary to the rugulose/costulate component. Pleurae and usually also side of propodeum smooth and shining. Posterior (free) margin of propodeal lamella straight to weakly convex for most of its depth; propodeal lacuna present. Dorsum of petiole node with some weak rugulose sculpture. Ventral surface of petiole with a conspicuous spongiform curtain. Disc of postpetiole smooth and shining, unsculptured or at most with a few minute longitudinal ridges along anterior margin of disc.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers and queens, HONDURAS: Ceiba, San Juan Pueblo, ii-iii.1920, No. 24457 (W. M. Mann) [examined].