Strumigenys micrans

The type material was collected from rainforest leaf litter.

Identification
Fisher (2000) - A member of the lutron complex in the Strumigenys arnoldi-group. S. micrans is distinguished from other species in the arnoldi-group by the presence of a laterally projecting flagellate or looped pronotal humeral hair and antenna with 4 segments.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  micrans. Strumigenys micrans Fisher, in Bolton, 2000: 635 (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Holotype. TL 1.7, HL 0.41, HW 0.35, CI 86, ML 0.18, MI 44, SL 0.25, SI 71, PW 0.21, AL 0.42. Characters of lutron-complex. Mandible blade narrow, linear, outcurved; no intercalary denticles present. Right mandible with a long spiniform proximal preapical tooth, at about the apical third of the length, and a short distal preapical tooth; left mandible with proximal but without distal preapical tooth. Preocular lamina broad, projecting below the antennal insertion. Anterior clypeal margin with broad spoon-shaped hairs directed dorsally. Dorsum of head behind clypeus reticulate-punctate and with numerous decumbent to suberect spatulate to spoon-shaped hairs on anterior two-thirds. Dorsum of head with a transverse row of 4 clavate hairs close to the occipital margin. Upper scrobe margin with a continuous row of clavate to spoon-shaped hairs. Hairs on upper scrobe margin not terminating at the posterior end with a more or less straight clavate hair. Eye very small, with 3 ommatidia in total and situated just above the ventral scrobe margin. Antenna with 4 segments. Leading edge of scape a dorsoventrally flattened convex lamella with a row of projecting spoon-shaped hairs. In profile, the promesonotum slightly convex; propodeal dorsum shallowly convex anteriorly, sloping slightly posteriorly before meeting the declivity in a blunt angle without a noticeable tooth; lamellae very narrow. Sides of alitrunk mostly smooth and shiny with weak longitudinal striolate sculpture on dorsal side or pronotum. Pronotal disc with longitudinal striolate and costulae sculpture. In between costulae, pronotum smooth or with fine punctulate sculpture; remainder of dorsal alitrunk and at least the upper half of the propodeal declivity reticulate-punctate. Pronotal humeral hair present, flagellate or looped. Mesonotum with 1 pair of erect hairs on anterior margin. Ground-pilosity of dorsal alitrunk consisting of a few scattered small suberect fine hairs. Dorsal surface of petiole node with faint reticulate-punctate sculpture that is almost effaced; the postpetiole glassy smooth. Petiole, postpetiole and gaster with clavate to remiform hairs. In profile the petiole with a well developed spongiform lamella. Postpetiole with well developed lateral and ventral spongiform lobes. Base of first gastral tergite with costulae radiating on each side of a broad central clear area, remainder of gaster smooth and shiny where clean. Color dull yellow to pale brown.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Madagascar: Provo Toamasina, P. N. Mantadia 895 m. 18°47.5'S, 48°25.6'E, 25-28.xi.1998 sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), rainforest #111 (20)-1 (H. J. Ratsirarson).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bolton, B. 2000. The Ant Tribe Dacetini. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65
 * Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.