Strumigenys boneti

Known from more than 20 collections from a range of habitat types. The bulk of this material was gathered from litter samples. There is also a record of a collection of a ground forager. This is a relatively unusual record as Strumigenys are rarely observed foraging.

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys ludia-group. Easily separated from Strumigenys ludia and Strumigenys idiogenes as both of these are larger and have a flagellate apicoscrobal hair, together with flagellate hairs at the pronotal humeri and on the mesonotum.

In the original description Brown compared boneti with Strumigenys mixta, a member of the louisianae group, which has very different dentition and scape pilosity; the two cannot be easily confused.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Belize, Guatemala, Mexico.



Nomenclature

 *  boneti. Strumigenys boneti Brown, 1959a: 103 (w.) MEXICO. See also: Bolton, 2000: 527.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.1-2.3, HL 0.50-0.56, HW 0.43-0.47, CI 82-85, ML 0.30-0.31, MI 55-60, SL 0.32-0.34, SI 72-75, PW 0.28-0.29, AL 0.50-0.58 (3 measured).

Mandible sometimes without preapical dentition but usually a minute denticle present close to midlength of inner margin. Apicoscrobal hair and pronotal humeral hair stiff and stout, simple or slightly expanded to truncated apically. Cephalic dorsum with two pairs of short erect hairs, one near highest point of vertex, the other close to occipital margin. Dorsum of pronotum with 1-2 pairs, and dorsum of mesonotum with 1-3 pairs of short stout erect hairs. First gastral tergite with short stout standing hairs that are shallowly curved, simple to remiform. Pronotal dorsum reticulate-punctate, without longitudinal rugulae. Petiole node in dorsal view broader than long. Disc of postpetiole reticulate-punctate. First gastral tergite finely and densely reticulate-punctate to reticulate-shagreenate everywhere.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, MEXICO: Tabasco, Palmillas, 18.viii.1945, sample no. 1109 (F. Bonet); paratype workers, MEXICO: ridge between Antiguo Morelos and Nuevo Morelos, 18.xi.1948 (E. S. Ross); Cozumel, Quintana Roo, 16.vii.1951, #19 (L. J. Stannard) [examined].