Strumigenys erikae

This species occurs in mature cloud forest. It is known from two workers from two different Winkler samples of sifted litter from the forest floor (Longino 2006). There has been a subsequent collection of Strumigenys erikae from rainforest.

Identification
Longino (Ants of Costa Rica) - Mandible short and curving downward in profile; lateral head capsule with the antennal scrobe mostly or entirely smooth and shining; propodeal spines present (former Glamyromyrmex); leading edge of scape lacking erect setae; disc of postpetiole in dorsal view very broadly U-shaped or V-shaped, with an extremely deeply concave anterior face; spongiform tissue absent from ventral surface of petiole, postpetiole and first gastral sternite; lateral margins of head and posterior face near vertex margin with sparse erect setae; head in side view convex above and below, not flattened; mesosoma strongly ankylosed, dorsal face of propodeum absent, posterior face forming long flat shiny surface that meets promesonotal dorsum at a sharp transverse carina.

Longino (2006) - In Bolton's (2000: 148) key to Neotropical Pyramica, this species keys to Strumigenys rogata, but the strongly ankylosed mesosoma is unique and immediately distinguishes this species from any other of the Glamyromyrmex-like Pyramica.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica.

Nomenclature

 *  erikae. Pyramica erikae Longino, 2006b: 141, figs. 25-27 (w.) COSTA RICA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 119

Worker
Holotype: ML 0.124, HL 0.561, HW 0.532, HD 0.296, MeL 0.484.

Mandible short and curving downward in profile; lateral head capsule with antennal scrobe mostly or entirely smooth and shining; propodeal spines present (former Glamyromyrmex); leading edge of scape lacking erect setae; disc of postpetiole in dorsal view very broadly U-shaped, with an extremely deeply concave anterior face; spongiform tissue absent from ventral surface of petiole, postpetiole and first gastral sternite; lateral margins of head and posterior face near vertex margin, promesonotum, petiolar node, postpetiole, and gastral dorsum with sparse erect setae; head in side view convex above and below, not flattened; mesosoma strongly ankylosed, dorsal face of propodeum absent, posterior face forming long flat shiny surface that meets promesonotal dorsum at a sharp transverse carina.

Type Material
Holotype worker: Costa Rica: Heredia Prov., 16 km SSE La Virgen (10° 16' N, 84° 05' W), 1100 m elevation, 14.III.2001, leg. Project ALAS 11/WF/02/01, specimen code INB0003214077. Paratype: 1 worker, same data as holotype but 20.II. 2001, leg. Project ALAS 11/WF/01/15, INB0003213718.

Etymology
Named for my daughter Erika Jane Longino.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * INBio Collection (via Gbif)
 * Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.
 * Longino J. T., and R. K. Colwell. 2011. Density compensation, species composition, and richness of ants on a neotropical elevational gradient. Ecosphere 2(3): 16pp.