Strumigenys mitis ( Brown, 2000 )

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 : 93-95

Strumigenys mitis ( Brown, 2000)

Figs 30G–I , 31 ; Table 2

Pyramica mitis Brown, 2000: 442 , figs 267, 290 (w.q.) PHILIPPINES. Indomalaya.

Strumigenys mitis – Baroni Urbani & De Andrade 2007: 124.

Material examined

MAINLAND CHINA – Guangdong Province • 11 workers; Heishiding; 24 Apr. 1997; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM. – Guangxi Province • 1 worker; Dayaoshan, Longan Cun ; 18 Sep. 1998; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM • 1 worker; Nonggang, Longshan (Longrui) ; 27 May 1998; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM ANTWEB1011900 • 4 workers; same collection data as for preceding; HKBM. – Hainan Province • 1 worker; Bawangling, BWLS10; 19.11878° N, 109.15562° E; 9 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 4 workers; Bawangling , BWLS11; 19.11678° N, 109.14003° E; 10 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 1 worker; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 14 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK1 ; 19.03775° N, 109.39278° E; 30 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 61 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK11 ; 19.07802° N, 109.50424° E; 2 Aug. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 2 workers; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 41 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK12 ; 19.08446° N, 109.50425° E; 2 Aug. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 3 workers; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 98 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK14 ; 19.10743° N, 109.25845° E; 3 Aug. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 45 workers; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 15 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK15; 19.11494° N, 109.26105° E; 3 Aug. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 4 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK2; 19.03875° N, 109.39525° E; 30 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 1 worker; Yinggeling, YGLK4; 19.077° N, 109.52288° E; 31 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 1 worker; Yinggeling, YGLK6 ; 19.07632° N, 109.52365° E; 31 Jul. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 19 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK7; 19.09177° N, 109.53691° E; 1 Aug. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL • 99 workers; Yinggeling, YGLK9; 19.09269° N, 109.53455° E; 1 Aug. 2016; L. Wang leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 7 workers; same collection data as for preceding; Winkler, 12 random; IBBL.

HONG KONG • 1 queen; Kwun Tong District , Jordan Valley Park; 22.32949° N, 114.22197° E; 113.4 m a.s.l.; 27 Jul.–2 Aug. 2021; A. Ibanez leg.; Winkler; IBBL • 2 workers; Lantau Island , Sheung Ling Pei; 22.27686° N, 113.93681° E; 40 m a.s.l.; 5 Dec. 1996; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM • 1 worker; Lantau Island , Sunset Peak South; 22.25733° N, 113.96257° E; 670 m a.s.l.; 8 Oct. 1996; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM • 3 workers; North District , Kuk Po San Uk Ha; 22.52977° N, 114.23475° E; 30 m a.s.l.; 28 Oct. 1996; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM • 2 workers; Sai Kung District , Tit Kim Hang East; 22.40541° N, 114.30226° E; 90 m a.s.l.; 1 Aug. 1996; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM • 1 worker; Sai Kung District , Tit Kim Hang West; 22.40446° N, 114.3013° E; 60 m a.s.l.; 14 Nov. 1996; J. Fellowes leg.; HKBM .

THAILAND – Sakon Nakhon Province • 2 workers, 1 queen; Site 104; 17.1326° N, 103.99685° E; 501 m a.s.l.; 21 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 3 workers; same collection data as for preceding; IBBL . – Trang Province • 23 workers; Khao Chong ; 7.55602° N, 99.78968° E; 1 Jan. 2019; IBBL members leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL .

VIETNAM – Đắk Nông Province • 2 workers; Nam Nung Reserve ; 12.17617° N, 107.78055° E; 887 m a.s.l.; 10 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler; IBBL • 1 worker; Nam Nung Reserve ; 12.16998° N, 107.7696° E; 897 m a.s.l.; 10 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler; IBBL • 1 worker; Nam Nung Reserve ; 12.23025° N, 107.83087° E; 886 m a.s.l.; 12 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler; IBBL • 4 workers; Nam Nung Reserve ; 12.22974° N, 107.83073° E; 896 m a.s.l.; 12 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler; IBBL. – Đỗng Nai Province • 87 workers, 3 queens; Cat Tien National Park ; 11.48379° N, 107.38651° E; 171 m a.s.l.; 5 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 27 workers; Cat Tien National Park ; 11.48493° N, 107.38533° E; 163 m a.s.l.; 5 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL • 3 workers; Cat Tien National Park ; 11.4843° N, 107.38571° E; 164 m a.s.l.; 5 Jun. 2018; IBBL members leg.; Winkler, 4 corners; IBBL .

Measurements

Queen

TL 2.2, HL 0.47, HW 0.36, MandL 0.09, SL 0.26, EL 0.108, PW 0.27, ML 0.64, PL 0.23, PH 0.15, DPW 0.12, PPL 0.12, GL 0.66, CI 76, MI 19, SI 74, OI 30, LPI 64, DPI 54 (n= 1).

Geographic range

Brunei Darussalam, mainland China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, Yunnan), India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.

New record for Guangxi and Hainan.

Ecology

Collected in secondary forest, rubber and agro-rubber plantations in South China, and similar habits in Thailand and Vietnam. Known elevation from 30 to 897 m.

Comments

This species is widely distributed within the regions studied, including Guangdong and Yunnan provinces of mainland China as well as Vietnam. Its records in Hainan and Guangxi provinces were expected. Based on our current understanding of the distribution of this species, it seems likely to be also present in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Bangladesh and some of the eastern states of India (Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura).

It has been proposed by Bolton (2000) that S. mitis is not a single species, but a multitude of species that likely can only be morphologically differentiated from one another based on queen castes. A single queen has recently been collected in an urban park in Hong Kong ( Fig. 31 ), which shows a morphology close to Queen morph B described by Bolton, but additionally, also presents a peculiar color pattern on the cephalic dorsum.

Figures

Fig. 30. New species records of Strumigenys Smith, 1860 in full-face, profile and dorsal views. A–C. Worker of S. membranifera Emery, 1869 from Vietnam (NN-S56-sp01). D–F. Worker of S. minutula Terayama & Kubota, 1989 from Hainan, mainland China (HNA-01641). G–I. Worker of S. mitis (Brown, 2000) from Hainan, mainland China (HNA-00275).

Fig. 31. Queen of Strumigenys cf. mitis (Brown, 2000) from Hong Kong (JV1T2W2). A. Full-face view. B. Profile view. C. Dorsal view.