Strumigenys xochipili

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys silvestrii-group. S. xochipili belongs in the silvestrii-group but is a very derived and isolated species. The presence of an intercalary tooth in the mandible apex, coupled with its relatively large eyes, entirely sculptured lateral alitrunk and first gastral tergite, and form and distribution of pilosity, should immediately identify the species. See also notes under Strumigenys silvestrii, where species with gastral pilosity similar to xochipili are discussed.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  xochipili. Strumigenys xochipili Bolton, 2000: 561 (w.) MEXICO.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.0, HL 0.51, HW 0.44, CI 86, ML 0.23, MI 45, SL 0.30, SI 68, PW 0.25, AL 0.52. Right mandible of holotype missing: apex of left mandible with a single intercalary tooth that arises from dorsal surface of apicoventral tooth, near its base. Mandible with a small preapical tooth, very close to the apicodorsal; a minute preapical denticle also present, just distal of midlength and difficult to see. Apicoscrobal hair absent (the only known specimen may be damaged but there is no trace of the apicoscrobal hair on either side of the head); dorsolateral margin of head with an unbroken series of anteriorly curved spatulate hairs. Cephalic dorsum with spatulate ground-pilosity and with a single pair of short standing hairs that are weakly remiform and located close to occipital margin. Eye with 13-14 ommatidia in total; maximum diameter of eye about equal to maximum width of scape. Subbasal bend of scape obtuse but conspicuous. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate; pronotal dorsum and mesonotum without standing hairs. All hairs on waist segments and first gastral tergite stiffly remiform and shallowly curved. Entire dorsal alitrunk densely reticulate-punctate; entire lateral alitrunk reticulate-punctate, without smooth or unsculptured areas. Propodeal teeth subtended by a lamella, the posterior (free) margin of which i s shallowly concave. Petiole node in dorsal view broader than long, reticulate-punctate; ventral surface of petiole without spongiform tissue. Disc of postpetiole finely and densely reticulate-punctate. Basigastral costulae fine and inconspicuous, spaces between costulae and entire sclerite behind costulae finely reticulate-punctate to reticulateshagreenate. Base of first sternite with a thin crest of spongiform tissue and lateral portion of sclerite lightly shagreenate.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Mexico: Michoacan, 5 mi. SW Tiquicheo, 1400 ft, 8.vii.1970 (E. Fisher & P. Sullivan).