Strumigenys hirsuta Tang et al., 2019

Tang, Kit Lam & Guénard, Benoit, 2023, Further additions to the knowledge of Strumigenys (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) within South East Asia, with the descriptions of 20 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 907, pp. 1-144 : 65-66

Strumigenys hirsuta Tang et al., 2019

Fig. 21G–I ; Table 2

Strumigenys hirsuta Tang et al., 2019: 18 , figs 6a–c, 7a–c (w.q.) CHINA (Hong Kong). Indomalaya.

Material examined

MAINLAND CHINA – Hainan Province • 2 workers; Bawangling, BWLS2; 19.091928° N, 109.183894° E; 6 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler , 4 corners; IBBL • 4 workers; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 2 workers; Bawangling, BWLS4; 19.096744° N, 109.177784° E; 30 Jun. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler , 4 corners; IBBL • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 1 worker; Bawangling, BWLS6; 19.104226° N, 109.176078° E; 7 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler , 12 random; IBBL • 2 workers; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 1 worker; Bawangling, BWLS8; 19.085592° N, 109.191281° E; 9 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler , 12 random; IBBL • 1 worker; Yinggeling, YGLK12; 19.084458° N, 109.504251° E; 2 Aug. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler , 12 random; IBBL .

Measurements

Workers

TL 3.3–3.5, HL 0.78–0.83, HW 0.60–0.62, MandL 0.34–0.36, SL 0.38–0.42, EL 0.051 –0.078, PW 0.33– 0.35, ML 0.88–0.93, PL 0.37–0.44, PH 0.14–0.16, DPW 0.16–0.18, PPL 0.20–0.25, GL 0.69–0.79, CI 72–77, MI 42–45, SI 63–68, OI 9–13, LPI 34–40, DPI 39–42 (n=7).

Geographic range

Mainland China (Hainan, Hong Kong).

New record for Hainan.

Ecology

Collected in secondary forest.

Comments

A recently described species, with its endemic status in Hong Kong also postulated to be due to undersampling in China rather than true endemism due to its wide distribution within the territory ( Tang et al. 2019). Specimens collected in Hainan were slightly bigger than those from Hong Kong, but all the measurement indices were still closer to S. hirsuta than to other species of the caniophanes - complex within the S. caniophanes -group, including the characteristic short antennal scape. It also clearly shares all other characters of the species. Its presence in nearby Guangdong and Guangxi provinces is likely.

Figures

Fig. 21. New species records of Strumigenys Smith, 1860 from Hainan, mainland China in full-face, profile and dorsal views. A–C. Worker of S. heteropha Bolton, 2000 (HNA-01608). D–F. Worker of S. hexamera (Brown, 1958) (HNA-01556). G–I. Worker of S. hirsuta Tang et al., 2019 (HNA-01573).