Strumigenys brevisetosa Smith, 1935

Booher, Douglas B., 2021, The ant genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in western North America North of Mexico, Zootaxa 5061 (2), pp. 201-248 : 222-223

Strumigenys brevisetosa Smith, 1935

Distribution. USA; widespread in eastern USA from Florida to Pennsylvania and west to Missouri; in western USA occurs in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Comments. There has been much confusion about this species and until recently it has been misidentified as S. pilinasis . At the time of this work, there are no other published keys that reflect this recent taxonomic change ( Booher 2019) (see S. pilinasis , senior synonym of S. ohioensis ). This species has variable clypeal setae across its range varying from fine-filiform to slightly expanded. The most consistent character in separating S. brevisetosa from S. laevinasis is that the setae on the dorsum of the clypeus are always inclined and pointing anteriorly ( Fig. 11 ). These setae are inclined anteriorly at the base, but curve evenly along their length such that their apices are pointing up or posteriorly.

Strumigenys brevisetosa is one of the more common and wide-ranging eastern USA species with a range extending into several western states. Habitats recorded by collectors for collections in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas were deciduous forests and bogs with workers extracted from litter and log debris ( DuBois 1985). A single malaise collection from Texas suggests Fall mating flights in the western portion of its range.

Material examined: USA, Oklahoma, Payne Co., 36.144999, -97.006839, 284 m, 1 Jul 1963, 2 dealate queens & 5 workers, W.G. Carter, [ MCZC] ; USA, Oklahoma, Latimer Co., 34.835035, -95.31025, 227 m, 15 May 1983, 1worker, K. Stephan, [ ABS] ; USA, Texas, Lamar Co., Camp Maxey, Osmuda bog, 33.848745, -95.538077, 165 m, 25 Sep 2003, malaise, 1 alate queen, S.F. Godwin, [ DBBC] ; USA, Texas, Nacogdoches Co., 12 miles south southwest of Nacogdoches , 31.470424, -94.715606, 60 m, 1 Feb 1984, Hardwood, 4 workers, Jenks Byers, [ ABS] ; USA, Texas, San Jacinto Co., Big Creek Scenic Area , 30.513102, -95.090501, 83 m, 16 Jul 1998, J.L. Cook & J.B. Martin, [ SHSU] ; USA, Texas, Wood Co., 3.5 miles SW of Hainesville , 32.663324, -95.360107, 101 m, 30 Apr 2000, ex. berlese, Forest, 1 worker, E.G. Riley, (casent0799679)[ DBBC] .

Figures

FIGURE 11. Lateral head views of representative Strumigenys species.