Strumigenys alapa Fisher

HOLOTYPE WORKER. TL 1.7, HL 0.44, HW 0.38, CI 85, ML 0.14, MI 31, SL 0.23, SI 62, PW 0.23, AL 0.44. Characters of alapa-complex. Mandible with a single preapical tooth. Dorsum of head posterior of frontal lobes and along upper scrobe margin with spoon-shaped hairs that are similar in shape to hairs on leading edge of scape. In full-face view, occipital angles without spoon-shaped hairs. Cephalic dorsum with a transverse row of 4 erect, short clavate hairs near occipital margin. Pronotal humeral hair present, stiffly erect and clavate. Mesonotum with a pair of short erect hairs, located at anterior margin. In profile, promesonotal dorsum very shallowly convex; propodeal dorsum shallowly convex anteriorly, sloping posteriorly to the declivity. Spongiform tissue well developed on declivity of propodeum, petiole and postpetiole. Propodeal teeth incorporated in the lamellae, the latter broad, more than half as broad as ventral lamella of petiole. Colour dull yellow to pale brown.

PARATYPE WORKERS. TL 1.7 - 1.9, HL 0.43 - 0.48, HW 0.36 - 0.39, CI 81 - 84, ML 0.13 - 0.15, MI 29 - 32, SL 0.23 - 0.26, SI 60 - 69, PW 0.21 - 0.24, AL 0.45 - 0.48 (4 measured). As holotype.

Holotype worker, Madagascar: Prov. Toliara, Beza-Mahafaly, 27 km. E Betioky, 23 ° 38 ' S, 44 ° 38 ' E, 135 m., 23. iv. 1997, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), tropical dry forest # 1476 (L. O.) - l (B. L. Fisher) (MZC).

Paratypes. 1 worker and 1 queen (dealate) with same data as holotype; 3 workers and 1 queen (dealate) with same data as holotype but coded (14) - 1, (42) - 1, (12) - 1 (BMNH, SAM).

S. alapa is distinguished from other species in the arnoldi-group by the following combination of characters.

1 Head and upper scrobe margin with broadly spatulate to spoon-shaped hairs.

2 Pronotal humeral hair stiff, remiform to thickly clavate and projecting laterally.

3 Alitrunk in profile almost flat; mesonotum in profile without a deep depression posteriorly before meeting the propodeum.