Strumigenys adsita-group

Bolton, B., 2000, The ant tribe Dacetini. With a revision of the Strumigenys species of the Malgasy Region by Brian L. Fisher, and a revision of the Austral epopostrumiform genera by Steven O. Shattuck., Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65, pp. 1-1028 : 623-624

adsita-group

DIAGNOSIS OF WORKER

Apical fork of mandible with 3 spiniform teeth: apicodorsal tooth is subtended by a smaller apicomedian spiniform tooth which itself is subtended by a denticle and the apicoventral tooth, which is similar in size to the apicomedian tooth; intercalary denticle cannot be seen when the mandibles are closed. Mandible with 1 spiniform preapical tooth, located at about the distal third of the length. Mandible in full-face view short (MI 29 - 35), narrowly linear and outcurved; dorsum, proximal of the preapical tooth, slightly concave.

Funicular segments 2 and 3 of antenna small and often difficult to discern.

Leading edge of scape a dorsoventrally flattened convex lamella.

Upper scrobe margins in full-face view widely divergent behind the frontal lobes.

Spongiform appendage of petiole a narrow ventral strip; lateral lobes absent. Postpetiole with lateral and ventral lobes. Propodeal lamella a well developed wide strip.

Pilosity. Spatulate to spoon-shaped hairs present on cephalic dorsum behind clypeus, anterior clypeal margin, lateral clypeal margin, upper scrobe margin and leading edge of scape. Dorsal surface of postpetiole and gaster with spatulate to spoonshaped hairs; entire body lacking flagellate hairs.

Sculpture. Fine dense reticulate-punctate sculpture blankets the entire dorsum of the head, alitrunk and petiole; postpetiole and gaster more or less unsculptured except for basigastral costulae.

Glands. Gland of scape near the apex on the ventral surface not apparent. Femoral gland bulla not visible. Tibial gland bulla visible but not distinct on mid and hind tibiae. Gland at base of calcar not visible. Tarsal glands not visible. Mesopleural gland visible and set in a narrow circular notch.

S. adsita is most similar to species in the arnoldi- and emmae-groups. It differs from emmae by having 6 antennal segments and differs from the arnoldi-group by having the apical fork of the mandible of 3 spiniform teeth with an intercalary denticle between the apicoventral and apicomedian tooth. The six-segmented antennae, structure of the scape and the mandibular dentition distinguish the group from other Malagasy Strumigenys .