Stenamma connectum

Stenamma connectum is found in montane wet forest habitats from 600–2160 m elevation, and is known almost exclusively from Winkler or Berlese samples of sifted leaf litter. Only once has a nest been found: a single dealate queen with brood underneath a moss mat.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  connectum. Stenamma connectum Branstetter, 2013: 73, figs. 64-67 (w.q.m.) MEXICO.

Worker
(20 measured) HL 0.52–0.69 (0.54), HW 0.45–0.60 (0.48), FLD 0.11–0.16 (0.12), PCW 0.02–0.04 (0.02), SL 0.39–0.58 (0.42), EL 0.07–0.11 (0.08), ACL 0.40–0.54 (0.43), ML 0.61–0.87 (0.65), PrW 0.31–0.40 (0.32), PSL 0.07–0.09 (0.08), SDL 0.05–0.07 (0.06), PL 0.22–0.32 (0.23), PH 0.14–0.19 (0.14), PW 0.10–0.16 (0.11), PPL 0.12–0.20 (0.14), PPH 0.12–0.19 (0.13), PPW 0.13– 0.19 (0.15), MFL 0.38–0.62 (0.44), MTL 0.31–0.52 (0.35), CI 84–92 (89), SI 85–99 (87), REL 15–19 (16), FLI 24–28 (25), PSI 1.1–1.4 (1.4), MFI 96–117 (109), ACI1 67–72 (70), ACI2 93–105 (102).

Small-sized species; general body color usually dark brown to brown, rarely almost black; appendages brown to yellow-brown, becoming lighter toward extremities; in specimens with dark brown to black body color, flagellum sometimes noticeably bright yellow; setae golden brown; mandible with 6 teeth, with basal tooth well defined; basal margin of mandible sinuous, with a distinct basal depression; mandible surface mostly smooth and shiny, with scattered piligerous punctae, and some striations on base and lateral surface; anterior clypeal margin undulating, forming 2–4 blunt teeth, inner teeth often projecting beyond lateral teeth (type population); median lobe of clypeus with a pair of longitudinal carinulae that diverge anteriorly, apex of lobe with a moderately long transverse carinula, area in between median lobe and anterior margin forming a distinct cavity where mandibles insert, remainder of clypeus mostly smooth and shiny; posterior extension of clypeus between antennal insertions of moderate to somewhat narrow width (PCW 0.02–0.04), with sides subparallel to slightly hour-glass shaped; frontal lobes of moderate width (FLD 0.11–0.16, FLI 24–28), not greatly obscuring torular lobes in full-face view; head roughly oval-shaped (CI 84–92), posterior margin with a slight to distinct median depression; eye of small to moderate size (EL 0.07–0.11, REL 15–19), oval-shaped, with 4–5 ommatidia at greatest diameter; face completely sculptured, mostly rugoreticulate, with some longitudinal carinulae extending back from frontal lobes, interstitial areas with light piligerous punctae; one high-elevation population with facial sculpture more polished, becoming smooth toward posterior margin; scape somewhat short (SI 85–99), not reaching posterior margin when laid back; scape surface mostly smooth, with scattered piligerous punctae; flagellum with a distinct 4-segmented antennal club; mesosoma mostly sculptured, except for pronotum, which ranges from completely punctate to almost completely smooth (both extremes rare); pronotum most often lightly punctate on side, and lightly carinulate-punctate on dorsum, with a small smooth patch in middle (type population); remainder of mesosoma mostly punctate, with some longitudinal carinulae, becoming rugoreticulae on mesonotum; propodeal dorsum and declivity sometimes with transverse carinulae; one high-elevation population with mesopleuron rugulose-punctate, and side of propodeum longitudinally carinulate; promesonotum in profile low-domed and roughly symmetrical; metanotal groove well demarcated, of moderate width and depth; propodeum in profile usually with a distinct profile, in which propodeal lobe has a broadly rounded margin that connects smoothly with propodeal spine; connection usually sinuous, but degree of sinuosity variable; propodeal spines usually tuberculate (type population), but sometimes reduced to sharp angles (PSL 0.07–0.09, PSI 1.1–1.4); petiole in profile of moderate length to slightly elongate (PL/HW 0.49–0.55); petiolar node in profile appearing small (PH/PL 0.52–0.64), and asymmetrical, with anterior face longer and more sloping than posterior face, node dorsum broadly rounded (type population) to more angulate, with apex pointing distinctly posteriad; postpetiole in profile subspherical, usually about same size as petiolar node, but sometimes slighly bulging (PPH/ PH 0.79–1.01); petiole and postpetiole usually mostly punctate, with only anterior faces smooth and shiny, but sometimes nodes almost completely smooth; most of body dorsum with short standing pilosity; setae on face very short, mostly subdecumbent; pilosity on gastral dorsum bilayered, with a sparse layer of longer suberect setae, and a denser layer of decumbent setae, sometimes lower layer very similar in density to upper layer; setae on scape subdecumbent to appressed; setae on legs mostly decumbent to appressed, with some suberect setae on femoral venters and coxae.

Queen
(8 meausred) HL 0.55–0.68 (0.56), HW 0.50–0.62 (0.51), FLD 0.13–0.15 (0.13), PCW 0.03–0.05 (0.03), SL 0.42–0.56 (0.45), EL 0.14–0.17(0.15), ACL 0.43–0.52 (0.45), ML 0.74–1.00 (0.78), PrW 0.44–0.55 (0.46), PSL 0.09–0.11 (0.11), SDL 0.07–0.09 (0.09), PL 0.28–0.36 (0.29), PH 0.16–0.21 (0.16), PW 0.12–0.17 (0.13), PPL 0.14–0.21 (0.15), PPH 0.16–0.21 (0.16), PPW 0.17– 0.22 (0.17), MFL 0.44–0.62 (0.46), MTL 0.38–0.53 (0.39), CI 88–93 (91), SI 83–95 (88), REL 27–30 (29), FLI 25–26 (26), PSI 1.2–1.5 (1.3), MFI 96–115 (111), ACI1 66–69 (68), ACI2 93–106 (102).

Same as worker except for standard queen modifications and as follows (comparsion of type population only): pronotum with transverse carinulae/rugulae; mesoscutum mostly smooth, with piligerous punctae, and some longidutinal carinulae along lateral margin; scutellum smooth in middle, rugulose-punctate on lateral margins; mesopleuron mostly smooth; propodeum carinulate-punctate; lower layer of setae on gastral dorsum very dense, almost pubescent; dorsum of mesosoma and anterior faces of petiolar and postpetiolar nodes with a dense layer of short, decumbent setae; propodeal declivity in profile less sinuous, with propodeal lobe smaller and less evenly rounded; wing venation as in specimen CASENT0126417.