Strumigenys pholidota

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys schulzi-group. The strongly sculptured first gastral tergite and remarkable scale-like pilosity delimit this species very well. Only Strumigenys margaritae has similar blanketing sculpture on the first gastral tergite, but that species retains standing hairs on the segment, has very different dentition, longer mandibles and scapes, and of course lacks scale-like pilosity.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Peru.

Nomenclature

 *  pholidota. Pyramica pholidota Bolton, 2000: 225 (w.) PERU. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 126

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.2, HL 0.61, HW 0.47, CI 77, ML 0.06, MI 10, SL 0.28, SI 60, PW 0.30, AL 0.60. Counting from base of mandible teeth 1 and 2 short and acute, of about equal length; tooth 3 longer, the longest on the margin; teeth 4 and 5 short, shorter than 1-2. Standing hairs entirely absent from head, dorsal alitrunk and first gastral tergite; without apicoscrobal or pronotal humeral hairs. Clypeus and cephalic dorsum covered with dense close-packed rows of small appressed scale-like hairs; from level of frontal lobes to highest point of vertex the rows very regularly longitudinal. Similar but less densely crowded scale-like hairs present on scapes and dorsal alitrunk. On first gastral tergite all hairs appressed but somewhat longer and more spatulate, directed posteriorly. Head finely reticulate-punctate though sculpture mostly concealed by the pilosity. Dorsal alitrunk and petiole node reticulate-punctate; disc of postpetiole with a mixture of punctulate and minute longitudinal costulate sculpture. Pleurae and side of propodeum more weakly reticulate-punctate than dorsum, superficially so in places. First gastral tergite finely and very densely longitudinally striolate-costulate everywhere, even the basigastral costulae replaced by this sculpture. First gastral sternite smooth. Anterior clypeal margin almost transverse, very slightly feebly concave close to midpoint. Eye large, about 8 ommatidia in the longest row. Subbasal angle of the broad flattened scape with a very pronounced and angular leading edge. Lamella on propodeal declivity broad, with a more or less straight posterior (free) margin. Petiole in dorsal view broader than long, ventrally with a carina but without spongiform tissue. Base of first gastral sternite with extremely feeble diffuse spongiform arc. Dorsal surfaces of femora without gland bullae.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Peru: Madre de Dios, Rio Tambopata Res., 30 km. (air) SW Pto Maldonato, 290 m., 12°50'S, 69°20'W, l.iii.1982, 01-006-01 (T. Erwin).