Strumigenys vartana

Lattke and Aguirre (2015) - With the discovery of Strumigenys lojanensis (now Strumigenys onorei) it is possible to discern a group of 5 northern andean species of the gundlachi complex with a preference for cold forests above 2000 m altitude, where the presence of most ants is negligible (Longino, 2014). The other species are Strumigenys enopla, known from altitudes between 1900 and 2200 m in SW Colombia, Strumigenys nubila, sampled from altitudes between 2000 and 2500 m in Colombia and Venezuela, Strumigenys vartana, a Colombian species known from altitudes between 1800 and 2530 m and Strumigenys heterodonta which was recently described from 2940 m altitude in Ecuador (Rigato & Scupola, 2008).

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the gundlachi-complex in the Strumigenys gundlachi group. Closely related to Strumigenys laevipleura but with longer, differently shaped mandibles and more widely spaced preapica1 teeth. Unlike laevipleura, vartana retains basigastral costulae.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia, Ecuador.

Nomenclature

 *  vartana. Pyramica vartana Bolton, 2000: 195, fig. 135 (w.) COLOMBIA. Combination in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 130

The material from Ecuador is represented by a single specimen (MCZ) that is at the top end of the size range (HL 0.58, HW 0.46, CI 79, ML 0.39, MI 67). In this worker the left mandible has the usual three denticles but the right has four; the basal most denticle of the left mandible is represented by two much smaller denticles on the right.

Worker
HOLOTYPE. TL 2.4, HL 0.56, HW 0.43, CI 77, ML 0.38, MI 68, SL 0.32, SI 74, PW 0.28, AL 0.58. Characters of gundlachi complex. Inner margins of mandibles shallowly concave in full-face view. Two minute intercalary denticles between apicodorsal and apicoventral teeth, the denticles arising from the ventral surface of the apicodorsal tooth, near its base. Mandible with 3 preapical denticles, the proximal (basalmost) located at about the midlength and smaller than the median; median denticle the largest, much longer and broader-based than the proximal and larger than the distal most denticle. Apicoscrobal hair long, curved filiform. Cephalic dorsum with two pairs of erect filiform hairs, one pair just in front of highest point of vertex, the other close to occipital margin. Eye with 3 ommatidia in longest row, with 7 - 8 ommatidia in total. Pronotal humeral hair long and filiform; dorsal alitrunk otherwise with only a single pair of erect simple hairs on the mesonotum. Mesopleuron and part to most of metapleuron smooth and shining. Postpetiole disc smooth and shining, with a narrow lamellate anterior collar. Basigastral costulae present but short and poorly developed; otherwise first gastral tergite and stemite smooth and shining. Standing hairs on first gastral tergite simple.

PARATYPE. TL 2.2-2.4, HL 0.54-0.58, HW 0.39-0.44, CI 72-77, ML 0.37-0.38, MI 66-70, SL 0.31-0.34, SI 74-80, PW 0.26-0.28, AL 0.55-0.59 (6 measured). As holotype; paratypes from Risaralda are slightly smaller than others. One paratype from Tolima (UCD) may be an ergatoid queen but is more likely a gynecoid worker. Its alitrunk is queen-like and has enhanced pilosity, and its gaster is more voluminous. But its eyes are only slightly larger than the normal workers and there are no ocelli. Flight sclerites are not nearly as well developed as in species with fully developed flying queens.

Type Material
Holotype worker, Colombia: Tolima, Transecto Parque los Nevados, E Slope, 2530 m., 1980, TPN 51 (T. van der Hammen).

Paratypes. 2 workers with same data as holotype; 2 workers and 1 gynecoid (?, see above) with same data but 2180 m., TPN 54; 2 workers Colombia: Risaralda, Transecto Parque los Nevados, W Slope, 1980 m., 1980, TPN 45 (T. van der Hammen) (, BMNH, ).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Lattke J. E., and N. Aguirre. 2015. Two New StrumigenysF. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from montane forests of Ecuador. Sociobiology 62(2): 175-180.
 * Rigato F., and A. Scupola. 2008. Two new species of the Pyramica gundlachi-group from Ecuador (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Memoirs on Biodiversity 1:477-481.