Strumigenys vindala

Known from two collections, one from montane forest and the other from rainforest litter.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the ebbae complex in the Strumigenys koningsbergeri-group. The inclined small preapical tooth, straight mandible without a lamella, distinct preocular impression, jagged upper scrobe margin and distribution of erect pilosity, combine to identify this species.

The shape and size of the preapical tooth in vindala is intermediate between the two complexes of this group. Although it is weakly inclined, rather than at a right-angle to the long axis of the mandible, the preapical tooth is longer than its basal width, larger and more strongly developed than in any member of the koningsbergeri-complex.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia.

Nomenclature

 *  vindala. Strumigenys vindala Bolton, 2000: 856, fig. 452 (w.) BORNEO.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.2, HL 0.61, HW 0.52, CI 85, ML 0.24, MI 39, SL 0.29, SI 56, PW 0.27, AL 0.58. With characters of ebbae-complex. Preapical tooth short triangular and slightly inclined toward apex, located close to apicodorsal spiniform tooth; length of preapical tooth less than one-third the width of mandible at point where it arises. Inner and outer margins of mandible approximately straight proximal of preapical tooth. Ventrolateral margin of head with a conspicuous preocular concavity. Upper scrobe margins broadly divergent posteriorly, eye invisible in full-face view; edge of upper scrobe margin jagged, with a series of small triangular peaks or tubercles and with a narrowly spatulate small hair arising from each peak. Dorsum of head in profile with short erect hairs along occipital margin, 1-2 on dorsum of occipital lobe and a single pair at highest point of vertex; without erect hairs anterior to this. Pronotum with a single pair of short standing hairs, close to anterodorsal margin. Mesonotum with a single pair of short erect hairs. Katepisternum, metapleuron and side of propodeum smooth. Bullae of femoral glands absent from middle and hind legs. Lamella on propodeal declivity well developed, with posterior (free) margin straight to shallowly convex. Disc of post petiole smooth. Standing hairs on first gastral tergite blunt, many of them slightly flattened and expanded apically. Basigastral costulae shorter than disc of postpetiole.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Malaysia: Sarawak, Gn. Penrissen, 1000 m., 23.v.1994, edge prim. montane for., #9a (Lobl & Burckhardt).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58