Strumigenys forficata

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the signeae complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. The Bornean S. forficata remains known only from the original collection. It is grouped here with Strumigenys esrossi, Strumigenys degonya and Strumigenys ortholex because of its extremely reduced pilosity but it is apparent that the species have reached this condition independently. Differentiation of the three is easy as forficata  has short mandibles (MI 35) with a lamella on the inner margin, lacks sculpture on the side of the alitrunk, and has a smooth postpetiole disc. S. esrossi, degonya and ortholex have longer mandibles (MI 41-48) without a lamella on the inner margin, have the entire side of the alitrunk reticulate-punctate, and have a strongly sculptured postpetiole disc. The last three are quickly separated because degonya has a concave ventrolateral margin of the head in front of the eye and completely sculptured first gastral tergite; and ortholex has flagellate hairs on the postpetiole and first gastral tergite.

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

Nomenclature

 *  forficata. Strumigenys forficata Brown, 1959g: 86 (w.) BORNEO. See also: Bolton, 2000: 821.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.7, HL 0.68, HW 0.52, CI 76, ML 0.24, MI 35, SL 0.38, SI 73, PW 0.28, AL 0.76. Characters of signeae-complex. Inner margin of relatively short mandible with a convex-edged clear lamella, at its maximum width the lamella slightly less than maximum length of preapical tooth. Apicoscrobal hair absent; dorsolateral margin of head in full-face view with a row of small, closely applied spatulate hairs on the upper scrobe margins, without freely laterally projecting hairs anywhere. Upper scrobe margin very broad and forming a well defined lamella; the eyes not visible in full-face view. Cephalic dorsum with reclinate narrowly spatulate ground-pilosity but without erect hairs, even the usual row near the occipital margin absent. Dorsal alitrunk with a few small spatulate hairs at anterior margin of pronotum; without standing hairs anywhere, without a pronotal humeral hair. Dorsal surfaces of petiole and postpetiole without standing hairs. Base of first gastral tergite with a transverse sparse row of small flattened hairs near the limbus, these hairs strongly inclined anteriorly; first gastral tergite otherwise without standing hairs. Dorsum of pronotum and anterior mesonotum smooth, surface posterior to this with feeble punctulate sculpture. Entire side of alitrunk unsculptured, smooth and shining. Lamella on propodeal declivity broad, a vestige of the propodeal tooth visible within the lamella and the lamella present above the level of the tooth. Dorsum of petiole node and disc of postpetiole smooth and shining. With petiole in profile the lateral spongiform lobe extends anteriorly to very near the anterior face of the node. Basigastral costulae fine and dense on limbus, very short on tergite proper, shorter than width of limbus.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, MALAYSIA: "Borneo", Mt Murud (E. Mjoberg) [examined].