Strumigenys mola 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 : 635-636

Strumigenys mola Fisher sp. n.

HOLOTYPE WORKER. TL 1.9, HL 0.44, HW 0.41, CI 91, ML 0.16, MI 36, SL 0.23, SI 56, PW 0.25, AL 0.52. Characters of abdera-complex. Right mandible with a long proximal and a small distal preapical tooth; left mandible with a long proximal preapical tooth and a distal preapical denticle. Cephalic dorsum posterior of clypeal margin with spoon-shaped hairs on anterior two thirds; upper scrobe margin with spoon-shaped hairs. Posterior margin of vertex with a row of 4 erect, narrowly clavate hairs. Pronotal humeral hair absent; anterior margin of mesonotum with a pair of short standing hairs. In profile, promesonotum shallowly convex; metanotal groove a shallow concave depression. Propodeal dorsum convex anteriorly, sloping posteriorly to the declivity and posteriorly rounding into the sides. Propodeal dorsum meeting the declivity in a blunt angle without a noticeable tooth. In profile, spongiform lamella on propodeal declivity narrow, increasing in width at base of declivity. Ventral spongiform tissue well developed and conspicuous on petiole and postpetiole. Ventral lobe on petiole small. Base of first gastral tergite with a continuous row of well defined basal costulae, remainder of gaster smooth and shiny. Pilosity of postpetiole and gaster filiform to narrowly clavate. Color dull yellow to pale brown.

PARATYPE WORKERS. TL 1.7 - 1.9, HL 0.41 - 0.44, HW 0.38 - 0.40, CI 90 - 96, ML 0.15 - 0.16, MI 35 - 40, SL 0.19 - 0.24, SI 48 - 60, PW 0.23 - 0.25, AL 0.42 - 0.47 (6 measured). As holotype.

Holotype worker, Madagascar: 43 km. S Ambalavao, Res. Andringitra 22 ° 14 ' S, 47 ° 00 ' E, 825 m., 5. x. 1993, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), rainforest # 747 (7) - 7 {B. L. Fisher) (MCZ). Paratypes. 6 worker and 2 queens (dealate) with same data as holotype but coded (2) - l 1, (8) - 12, (19) - 12, (31) - 8, (26) - 12, (42) - 15, (43) - ll (BMNH, SAM).

NON-PARATYPIC MATERIAL EXAMINED. Madagascar: Ranomafana Nat. Park, Miaranony Forest 700 m. (E. Rajeriarison); 7 km. W Ranomafana 900 m. (WE. Steiner); 45 km. S Ambalavao 785 m. (B. L. Fisher); 9.0 km. NE Ivohibe 900 m. (S. Razafimandlmby).

Measurements of this material were within range of shown by the type-series (4 measured).

Of the species known of this group which lack pronotal humeral hairs and lack spoonshaped or scale-like hairs on the posterior third of the dorsum of the head, mola is immediately identifiable by the presence of a pair of hairs on the anterior margin of the mesonotum.