Strumigenys apios Fisher, 2000

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 : 626-627

Strumigenys apios Fisher sp. n.

HOLOTYPE WORKER. TL 4.0, HL 1.02, HW 0.60, CI 59, ML 0.59, MI 58, SL 0.80, SI 133, PW 0.36, AL 1.08. Right mandible with apicoventral tooth the shortest of the 3 teeth of the apical fork; preapical dentition absent. Left mandible with stoutly spiniform apicodorsal and apicomedian teeth, the apicoventral tooth much smaller, and smaller than its counterpart on the right mandible; a small preapical tooth or denticle present close to apicodorsal tooth. In full-face view the short upper scrobe margin rounds cleanly into the long margin of the occipital lobe without trace of an angle, the two together forming a single evenly curved surface. Dorsum of head evenly rounded into side behind level of eye. Maximum diameter of eye distinctly greater than the maximum width of the scape. Scape long, the leading edge with a row of slender spatulate hairs. Cephalic dorsum with appressed clavate to spoon-shaped ground-pilosity; dorsolateral margin of head without a row of hairs. Cephalic dorsum with 4 simple standing hairs arranged in a transverse row close to the occipital margin. Dorsum of alitrunk without standing hairs. Ground-pilosity on alitrunk sparse. Posterior portion of mesonotum shallowly depressed below level of pronotum; propodeal dorsum gently sloping to declivity. Propodeal teeth long, slender and curved anterolaterally; lamella absent from declivity. Alitrunk dorsum reticulate-punctate. Petiole node reticulate-punctate and much longer than broad. Postpetiole disc reticulatepunctate. Spongiform appendages of petiole absent. Lateral and ventral spongiform lobes of postpetiole vestigial. Basigastral costulae fine and superficial; gaster smooth and shiny when clean. Dorsal surface of postpetiole with a pair of posteriorly projecting simple hairs, and posterior margin of gastral segments with standing hairs which are simple or very slightly thickened apically. Colour yellowish brown

PARATYPE WORKERS. TL 4.0 - 4.5, HL 1.01 - 1.13, HW 0.64 - 0.70 CI 62 - 64, ML 0.59 - 0.63, MI 56 - 62, SL 0.78 - 0.84, SI 119 - 129, PW 0.36 - 0.41, AL 1.07 - 1.19. As holotype.

Holotype worker, Madagascar: 11.0 km. WSW Befingotra, Res. Anjanaharibe-Sud, 14 ° 45 ' S, 49 ° 27 ' E, 1565 m., 16. xi. 1994, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), montane rainforest # 1232 (28) - 4. (B. L. Fisher) (MCZ).

Paratypes. 3 workers with same data as holotype, 2 workers with same data as holotype but coded (49) - 3 (BMNH, SAM).

NON-PARATYPIC MATERIAL EXAMINED. Madagascar: R. S. Manongarivo, 17.3 km. 218 ° SW Antanambao, 1580 m. (B. L. Fisher); R. S. Manongarivo, 20.4 km. 219 ° SW Antanambao, 1860 m. (B. L. Fisher); 6 km. ESE Andasibe (= Pirinet), 900 m. (P. S. Ward).

Measurements of non-paratypic material extends the range shown by the type-series: HL 0.99 - 1.17, HW 0.59 - 0.65, CI 55 - 62, ML 0.58 - 0.73, MI 59 - 62, SL 0.79 - 0.89, SI 128 - 138 (3 measured).

The single specimen from Andasibe is slightly larger and narrower. It has symmetric mandibles with both apical forks of 3 stout spiniform teeth, without preapical teeth or denticles; the sides of its alitrunk have more extensive reticulate-punctate sculpture. Additional collections will be necessary to determine if this specimen represent a sibling species

S. apios is distinguished from its close relative agra by its smaller size, and yellowish brown colour.