Strumigenys carnassa

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys semicompta-group. Of the four species known in this group the Australian Strumigenys flagellata is characterised by its possession of conspicuous pairs of long flagellate hairs: 5 pairs on the head, 2 on the pronotum, 1 each on the petiole and postpetiole, 2 at the base of the first gastral tergite. Flagellate hairs are absent in carnassa, Strumigenys pydrax and Strumigenys semicompta. In addition flagellata lacks a pale cuticular annulus around the orifice of the propodeal spiracle and has a short high petiole node, where the anterior and dorsal faces are sub equal in length. In contrast carnassa, pydrax and semicompta have a broad, pale cuticular annulus around the orifice of the spiracle, and have petiole nodes with the dorsum much longer than the anterior face in profile. S. carnassa and pydrax are much less densely hairy than semicompta. Apart from pilosity characters mentioned in the key, the dorsolateral margin of head in semicompta, in full-face view, has 10 or more elongate simple hairs that project freely from both the upper scrobe margin and the side of the occipital lobe; in the other two species 0-4 short simple hairs project from the side of the occipital lobe and none from the upper scrobe margin. Dorsal surfaces of the body are also distinctly less densely hairy in pydrax and carnassa. The former completely lacks hairs on the dorsal head and alitrunk; the latter has 7 of 8 pairs of standing hairs on the promesonotum, 2-3 pairs on the petiole dorsum and 3-4 pairs on the postpetiole. By comparison semicompta has 15 or more pairs on the promesonotum and 10 or more each on the petiole and postpetiole.

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

Nomenclature

 *  carnassa. Pyramica carnassa Bolton, 2000: 465, figs. 279, 302 (w.) NEW GUINEA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 117

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.7, HL 0.70, HW 0.61, CI 87, ML 0.13, MI 19, SL 0.32, SI 52, PW 0.32, AL 0.73. Clypeus with minute appressed hairs, cephalic dorsum with subapressed to appressed small spatulate hairs. In full-face view the upper scrobe margin with a dense row of anteriorly curved small spatulate hairs, without freely projecting simple hairs. Margin of occipital lobe posterior to scrobe with 2-3 short straight freely projecting simple hairs. In profile a few short sub erect to erect simple hairs project from the cephalic dorsum behind the highest point of the vertex. Head, and remainder of body, entirely lacking flagellate hairs. Leading edge of scape with a row of narrowly spatulate curved hairs, directed toward apex of scape. Outer margins of fully closed mandibles intersect anterior clypeal margin some distance in from the anterolateral clypeal angles. With head in dorsolateral view the ventrolateral margin suddenly narrowed in front of the eye and somewhat concave behind it, so that the narrowly convex eye appears to be on a short tumulus and is very prominent. Pronotal dorsum transversely flattened and marginate laterally, the dorsum smooth and contrasting strongly with the finely rugulose and punctulate vertex. Mesonotum with faint vestiges of sculpture anteriorly but remainder of dorsal alitrunk, sides of alitrunk and waist segments unsculptured. First gastral tergite unsculptured except for the basigastral costulae, the latter very short, barely extending beyond the posterior margin of the limbus. Erect to suberect short hairs present on promesonotum, waist segments and first gastral tergite; without bizarre pilosity of any form. Orifice of propodeal spiracle surrounded by a broad pale cuticular annulus that posteriorly abuts the broad lamella of the declivity. Node of petiole in profile with a short, near-vertical anterior face and a much longer, shallowly convex dorsum. Lateral spongiform lobe of petiole extends almost the entire length of its side. Ventral curtain of petiole and both lobes of postpetiole large in profile. Petiole node in dorsal view longer than broad, as long as the postpetiole disc. In dorsal view tissue around the postpetiole disc more lamelliform than spongiform, completely surrounding the disc; the latter with its anterior margin transverse and its shallowly convex sides converging to a bluntly rounded point posteriorly.

Paratypes. TL 2.5-2.6, HL 0.67-0.71, HW 0.59-0.62, CI 85-90, ML 0.12-0.14, MI 18-20, SL 0.30-0.34, SI 49-55, PW 0.30-0.33, AL 0.70-0.75 (8 measured). As holotype but lateral margin of occipital lobe with 1-3 projecting short simple hairs in full-face view, the variation probably the result of abrasion. In the holotype and some paratypes the median area of the first gastral tergite is hairless, but other paratypes show that this area should be evenly pilose.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Papua New Guinea: Mt Hagan area, ca 2000 m., 5.vii.1974, B-280 (S. Peck).

Paratypes. 9 workers with same data as holotype (MCZ,, ).