Strumigenys trinidadensis

Occurs in wet forest habitat in Costa Rica. It is known from arboreal foragers on low vegetation (Longino, Ants of Costa Rica).

Identification
Bolton (2000) - A member of the Strumigenys trinidadensis-group. S. trinidadensis is easily separated from Strumigenys vivax, the only other member of the group, as the two species have very different preapical dentition; see notes under vivax.

Longino (Ants of Costa Rica) - Apical fork of mandible with a single intercalary tooth; mandible with a strong preapical tooth, followed by one or more teeth and/or denticles that are variable in size and position; propodeal lamellae with strong dorsal and ventral teeth; gaster finely sericeous opaque, longitudinally striolate; gaster covered with brush of abundant long flagelliform setae.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago.

Nomenclature

 *  trinidadensis. Strumigenys trinidadensis Wheeler, W.M. 1922c: 12 (w.) TRINIDAD. Brown, 1954l: 61 (m.). See also: Bolton, 2000: 566.

Worker
Bolton (2000) - TL 3.3-3.7, HL 0.78-0.88, HW 0.62-0.70, CI 78-82, ML 0.53-0.58, MI 65-69, SL 0.56-0.63, SI 85-94, PW 0.38-0.40, AL 0.82-0.90 (12 measured).

Mandible with 2 preapical teeth, both small but distinct; distal tooth longer than proximal, distance between distal tooth and apicodorsal tooth greater than length of distal preapical tooth. Proximal preapical tooth set close to midlength of straight inner mandibular margin. Eye moderate, maximum diameter ca 0.10, with 8-9 ommatidia in the longest row. Pronotum marginate anteriorly. Propodeum with a sharp spine at top of declivity and with a spine or long acutely triangular tooth at base; the latter almost or quite as long as the former. Ventral surface of petiole with a very narrow spongiform crest that may be fragmented in some individuals. Disc of postpetiole densely sculptured, reticulate-punctate and with some weak rugular or costulate sculpture. Flagellate hairs present, distributed as noted above. Dorsum of head also with a pair of short erect hairs close to occipital margin.

Type Material
Bolton (2000) - Holotype worker, TRINIDAD: nr Port of Spain (R. Thaxter) [examined].