Strumigenys schmalzi

A rarely collected ant, Strumigenys schmalzi has been collected from a forest and with Solenopsis geminata (without being reported if this was within a nest of this other species).

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys silvestrii-group. S. schmalzi is very closely related to Strumigenys carinithorax. The two share the same characteristic gastral pilosity and may eventually prove to be inseparable. Unfortunately there is very little material available of either species and much of what exists is not in good condition. Both schmalzi and carinithorax show some variation but its significance cannot be properly assessed because of the shortage of material. The identity problem cannot be tackled with any degree of success until more material, in good condition, has been amassed. For the present I am treating those specimens with a well developed lateral spongiform lobe on the petiole as schmalzi, and those with a tiny or vestigial lobe as carinithorax.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago.

Nomenclature

 *  schmalzi. Strumigenys schmalzi Emery, 1906c: 169 (footnote), fig. 28 (w.) BRAZIL. See also: Brown, 1959f: 28; Bolton, 2000: 558.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 1.8, HL 0.46, HW 0.36, CI 78, ML 0.26, MI 57, SL 0.27, SI 75, PW 0.24, AL 0.46 (dimensions of holotype). Preapical tooth separated from apicodorsal tooth by about the length of the preapical tooth; outer margins of mandibles shallowly convex. Ground-pilosity of head and promesonotum short, broadly spatulate and conspicuous. Cephalic dorsum near occipital margin with a pair of short standing hairs that are narrower, straighter and more elevated than the ground-pilosity. Apicoscrobal hair and pronotal humeral hair flagellate. A pair of fine standing hairs present on mesonotum. First gastral tergite with short and extremely slender soft simple hairs that are shallowly evenly curved medially or posteromedially. Scattered on the sclerite are also a few equally fine but longer and more erect soft filiform to weakly flagellate hairs. Bullae of femoral glands conspicuous near apices on middle and hind legs. Mesonotum with median longitudinal carina variable; fairly distinct in some but inconspicuous in others. Petiole node in dorsal view much broader than long; in profile without spongiform tissue ventrally but with a large spongiform lateral lobe. Lateral and ventral spongiform lobes of postpetiole large. Pleurae and side of propodeum smooth. Disc of postpetiole weakly sculptured, never reticulate-punctate but apparently never glassy smooth. Basigastral costulae sharply defined, in dorsal view slightly to distinctly longer than maximum length of propodeal disc.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, BRAZIL: Santa Catarina, Joinville, “with Solenopsis geminata” (J. P. Schmalz) [examined].