Strumigenys szalayi

Identification
Bolton (2000) - Brown (1971) considered the morphological and geographical variation of the widespread szalayi in some detail. He discussed the large size-variation recorded but retained all the samples in one species. Since then Roy Snelling (LACM) has collected a series at Wapoga camp, Irian Jaya, whose darkly coloured workers are even larger than the biggest specimen recorded by Brown. These workers have HL ca 1.00 but morphologically seem inseparable from other samples currently included in szalayi. I have retained this series in szalayi but with some misgivings. I suspect that a detailed re-analysis, when more of these anomalous specimens are available, may change our concept of the species.

S. szalayi is only separated from Strumigenys hemichlaena by differences in colour; see there and note under Strumigenys tigris.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia. Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, Micronesia (Federated States of), New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.

Nomenclature

 *  szalayi. Strumigenys szalayi Emery, 1897c: 578, pl. 14, figs. 10, 11 (w.q.) NEW GUINEA. Senior synonym of australis: Brown, 1971c: 75. See also: Bolton, 2000: 906.
 * australis. Strumigenys szalayi subsp. australis Forel, 1910b: 50 (w.m.) AUSTRALIA. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1955a: 137 (l.). Junior synonym of szalayi: Brown, 1971c: 75.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.4-3.5, HL 0.68-0.94, HW 0.48-0.62, CI 64-75, ML 0.34-0.52, MI 50-57, SL 0.40-0.66, SI 88-106, PW 0.26-0.34, AL 0.68-0.91 (32 measured).

With head in profile the postocular concavity in the vetrolateral margin broad and quite shallow, but distinct. Propodeal teeth not long and spiniform, length very obviously less than twice the distance separating their bases. Alitrunk reticulate-punctate, often with a small un sculptured patch on katepisternum. Hairs on first gastral tergite similar to those on postpetiole. Colour variable (Brown, 1971), uniformly yellow to uniformly brown, or with gaster slightly to very much darker in shade than head and alitrunk, but head and alitrunk never bicoloured black and yellow.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers and queen, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Madang (= Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen) (L. Biro) [examined].