Strumigenys pergandei

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys pergandei-group. Closely related to Strumigenys angulata but more widely distributed. See the identification section of angulata for a discussion of their differences.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Tokelau. Nearctic Region: United States.



Biology
Wesson and Wesson (1939) observed an interesting behavior in S. pergandei: "On three occasions workers were seen to bring alternately left and right forelegs to the vertex of the head, rubbing the tarsi forward and placing them on the ground. Whether this was cleaning operation or a means of transfering some substance to the substratum, or has some other significance is not known. The ant did not clean the tarsus after rubbing the head, nor did it rub any other part of its body ". Similar behavior was subsequently found in other Strumigenys by Masuko (1984) (see Strumigenys behavior).

Nomenclature

 *  pergandei. Strumigenys pergandei Emery, 1895c: 326, pl. 8, figs. 17, 18 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1955a: 144 (l.). Combination in S. (Cephaloxys): Emery, 1924d: 325; in S. (Trichoscapa): Smith, M.R., 1943f: 307; Creighton, 1950a: 308; in Smithistruma (Wessonistruma): Brown, 1948e: 106; Brown, 1953g: 51; in Pyramica: Bolton, 1999: 1673; in Strumigenys: Baroni Urbani & De Andrade, 2007: 126. See also: Bolton, 2000: 116.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 2.5-2.9, HL 0.66-0.72, HW 0.47-0.50, CI 68-74, ML 0.16-0.18, MI 25-30, SL 0.37-0.42, SI 79-84, PW 0.29-0.33, AL 0.64-0.72 (10 measured).

Basal lamella of mandible narrowly triangular, high and slightly recurved, fully exposed and with apices of lamellae meeting above the labrum when mandibles fully closed. Basal lamella very widely separated from basal tooth, distance between them about equal to the dentate length of the blade in full-face view. Basal and third tooth on mandible triangular and acute, second tooth broad and bluntly rounded; basal longer than second or third teeth.

Anterior and lateral margins of clypeus meeting through evenly rounded broad curves in full-face view. Eye small, with only about 6-8 ommatidia in total. Cephalic dorsum without standing hairs of any form but densely clothed with spoon-shaped ground- pilosity.

Apicoscrobal hair absent. Pronotal humeral hair absent. Dorsum of promesonotum with large curved spoon-shaped ground-pilosity but without erect hairs. Disc of postpetiole with posteriorly curved spatulate hairs. Middle and hind basitarsi each with 1-2 long fine flagellate hairs.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Syntype workers, queens and males, U.S.A. Maryland, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania (T. Pergande) [examined].