Neal A. Weber.
A New Strumigenys from Illinois (Hymenoptera: Formieidæ).
Psyche 41:63-65, 1934.

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A New Strumigenys 63
A NEW STRUMIGENYS FROM ILLINOIS
(HYMENOPTERA : FORMICID#)
BY NEAL A. WEBER
Harvard University
The ant here described was obtained through Dr. M. R. Smith from the Illinois Natural History Survey. It proves to be the sixteenth Nearctic species of a small and incon- spongiform processes on the pedicel and, in many forms, by development in the tropics. The members of this genus are found chiefly in rotted wood on the ground or in damp soil under stones and are comparatively rare and little- known. They are noteworthy in the possession of six- jointed antennae, peculiar and diverse pilosity, strange spongiform processes on the pedicel and, in many forms, by a great development of the mandibles.
Strumigenys (Cephaloxys) talpa n. sp. (Fig. 1) WORKER : Length 1.8 mm.
Head 0.56 mm. long, cordate, shallowly excised at the posterior margin, occipital margins rounded, sides anterior to the antennal insertions converging gently to the mandi- bles; clypeus with evenly rounded anterior margin and posterior angle obtuse; exposed part of mandibles less than ys the length of the remainder of the head, outer margins convex, inner margins armed at the apical 2h with about 6 acute teeth and at the apex with several smaller acute teeth, armed at the base with a single large acute tooth; antennal scapes extending posteriorly to the maximum breadth of the head, evenly bent inwards at the base; 1st joint of the funiculus distinctly longer than the 2nd and 3rd together and about equal in length to the 4th alone, terminal joint distinctly longer than the preceding joints of the funi- culus together. Thorax, in profile, evenly convex, mesoepin- otal suture faintly indicated; epinotal spines acute, low, directed backwards and slightly upwards ; infraspinal lam- Pu&e 4163-65 (1934). hup ttpsychu einclub org/41/41-061 html



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64 Psyche [June
inse low but distinct.
Petiole, in profile, with a distinct
. peduncle which narrows anteriorly; node rising suddenly but evenly and'with evenly convex dorsal surface ; postpeti- ole subglobular.
Gaster ovate with acutely pointed apex.
Legs moderately long and slender.
Surface of the head and thorax irregularly reticulate, subopaque; gaster smooth and shining except for the coarsely striate basal y3-1/2-
FIG. 1. Strurnigemys (~e~h,ulox~~) talpu, n. sp., head of worker in anterior view.
Hairs of the dorsal surface of the head moderately long, abundant, reflexed; with several long, fine and erect hairs projecting from the postero-lateral margins of the head; hairs of clypleus numerous, narrow-squamose ; hairs of man- dibles short and subappressed; about 6 moderately long hairs fringing the anterior margin of the scape and bent distally. Hairs of thorax long, fine, suberect or reclining. Hairs of legs long, fine, appressed and abundant. Antenna1 and tarsal joints with appressed pubescence. Gaster with a few long straggling hairs becoming more numerous and shorter distally. Spongiform bodies well developed, cover- ing the anterior end of the gaster, all the postpetiole except the dorsal surface and the posterior dorsal half of the petiole.




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19341 A New Strurnigenys 65
Color ferruginous ; appendages somewhat lighter; gaster with a brown band across the middle.
Holotype:
One worker taken by T. H. Frison and H. H. Ross at Herod, Illinois, October 12, 1933. To be deposited in the collection of the Illinois Natural History Survey. This species runs to S. clypeata Roger in Dr. M. R. Smith's key.l From two cotypes of clypeata in Dr. W. M. Wheeler's collection, however, it differs in a number of distinct characters. The open area at the base of the inner margins of the mandibles is larger and more distinct; the fourth joint of the funiculus is not distinctly longer than the first; the peduncle of the petiole is not cylindrical as in clypeata; the pilosity of the head is less abundant, especially on the clypeus where the hairs are narrow-squamose (the hairs on the clypeus and along the antenna1 scape of cly- peata are clavate in the two cotypes). From three cotypes of S. pulchella Roger it differs in more converging anterior margins of the head, larger mandibles, shape of the pedicel and in pilosity.
'Smith, M. R., A Revision of the Genus Strurnigenys of America, North of Mexico, Based on a study of the Workers, Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., 1931, 24, 685-710, 4 pi.




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