Strumigenys mionova

The type material was collected from leaf litter Berlesate from a rainforest.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the smythiesii complex in the Strumigenys godeffroyi-group. The postpetiole disc is somewhat deformed in the holotype, short and compressed from front to back. In consequence the lateral spongiform lobes of this segment are also short. Both disc and lobes are of normal size in the non-paratypic worker, the disc is mostly smooth, with weak sculpture on its anterior margin.

S. mionova is currently the only member of the smythiesii-complex that has been recorded from New Caledonia. The distribution of its flagellate pilosity distinguishes it from all other species of that island.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Australasian Region: New Caledonia.

Castes
Queens and males are unknown.

Nomenclature

 *  mionova. Strumigenys mionova Bolton, 2000: 966, figs. 522, 545 (w.) NEW CALEDONIA.

Worker
Holotype. TL 2.4, HL 0.61, HW 0.42, CI 69, ML 0.27, MI 44, SL 0.36, SI 86, PW 0.28, AL 0.64. With characters of smythiesii-complex. Apicoscrobal hair flagellate; upper scrobe margin also with a laterally projecting flagellate hair anterior to this, at level of posterior margin of eye. Cephalic dorsum finely reticulate-punctate and with slender ground-pilosity. Cephalic dorsum close to midline near occipital margin with a pair of long erect flagellate hairs that are curved anteriorly. A second pair of shorter erect flagellate hairs also present, located at about highest point of vertex; these hairs also curved anteriorly. Eye with 12-14 ommatidia in total. Pronotal humeral hair flagellate; pronotal dorsum also with a pair of erect flagellate hairs and a single similar pair on mesonotum. Dorsal alitrunk finely and densely reticulate-punctate everywhere. Propodeal declivity with posterior (free) margin of lamella straight to shallowly concave above, shallowly convex below. Katepisternum with a large smooth patch; metapleuron and side of propodeum together with a small smooth patch anteromedially, the surface reticulate-punctate above, below and behind the smooth patch. Anteromedian portion of postpetiole disc smooth, the remainder finely reticulate. First gastral tergite with numerous long slender flagellate hairs.

Dimensions of non-paratypic worker. HL 0.66, HW 0.47, CI 71, ML 0.30, MI 45, SL 0.38, SI 81.

Type Material
Holotype worker, New Caledonia: 2 km. SE Bogui, 5.v.1980, 21.23 S, 165.26 E, 170 m., ex leaf litter, Berlesate, rainforest, #4246-6 (P.S. Ward).