Strumigenys deuteras

Noted as being found in rainforest and open forest, all of the few collections of this species were collected in litter samples.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. Closest related to Strumigenys cingatrix but that species has the katepisternum entirely reticulate-punctate; see notes under Strumigenys perplexa and Strumigenys cingatrix. Many samples of deuteras (including the type-series) are darkly coloured and may be almost black. However, some series are much lighter, brownish yellow to yellow; some intermediates between these and the darker forms are known. Such colour variation is not uncommon in the strumigenyiform dacetines and is often a function of altitude; it is not accorded any particular taxonomic status here.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: Australia.

Nomenclature

 *  deuteras. Strumigenys deuteras Bolton, 2000: 959, fig. 523 (w.) AUSTRALIA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.5, HL 0.64, HW 0.50, CI 78, ML 0.28, MI 44, SL 0.35, SI 70, PW 0.28, AL 0.66. With characters of signeae-complex. Apical fork of right mandible with a small intercalary tooth that is flanked above and below by a minute denticle. Apicoscrobal hair short, stiff and simple, shallowly curved. Reticulate-punctate sculpture of cephalic dorsum very closely packed and with a granulate appearence. Occipital margin with 4-6 short erect hairs present. Main row of curved projecting hairs on leading edge of scape simple to extremely narrowly spatulate; secondary hairs on leading edge only fractionally more slender and fractionally shorter, not easily distinguished from components of main row. Pronotal humeral hair stiff and simple, straight to shallowly curved; pronotal dorsum with 1-2 pairs of stiffly erect simple hairs and mesonotum with 3 pairs of similar hairs. Entire dorsal alitrunk finely and densely reticulate-punctate. Katepisternum mostly to entirely smooth but metapleuron and side of propodeum entirely evenly reticulate-punctate, without un sculptured patches. Postpetiole disc finely superficially sculptured, sculpture faint and almost effaced in places. Hairs on first gastral tergite short and straight, simple and stiffly erect, apically blunt. Basigastral costulae at least as long as disc of postpetiole.

Paratypes. TL 2.4-2.5, HL 0.62-0.68, HW 0.48-0.51, CI 76-80, ML 0.25-0.28, MI 40-44, SL 0.32-0.36, SI 67-71, PW 0.26-0.30, AL 0.62-0.70 (7 measured).

Dimensions of non-paratypic workers. TL 2.3-2.5, HL 0.57-0.65, HW 0.42-0.50, CI 74-79, ML 0.24-0.28, MI 40-44, SL 0.29-0.36, SI 66-74, PW 0.25-0.28, AL 0.56-0.66 (8 measured).

Type Material
Holotype worker, Australia: Queensland, Kroombit Tops, 65 km. SW Gladstone, 22-26.ii.1982, Q. M. Berlesate No. 383, 1100 m., rainforest, sieved litter (G. Mollteirh & G. Thompson). Paratypes. 4 workers with same data as holtype; 2 workers with same data but Berlesate No. 384, stickbrushing; 3 workers with same data but Berlesate No. 386, 1050 m., open forest (R. Raven) (ANIC, ).