Pyramica benten

Japanese Name

Iga-uroko-ari

Terayama, M., C.-C. Lin & W.-W. Wu (1996) Taiwanese species of the ant genus Smithistruma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Jpn. J. Ent., 64, 327-339.

Smithistruma benten Terayama, Lin & Wu, 1996, Pyramica benten (Terayama, Lin & Wu): Bolton, 1999,

Total length of workers around 1.5 to 2 mm. Clypeus broad; anterior margin convex, not fringed with spatulate hairs. Leading margins of antennal scapes not angulate. Promesonotal region not raised.

The species is similar to Pyramica leptothrix, but distinguished by its pilosity: the hairs on the head of Pyramica benten are shorter, more sparse and somewhat clavate, and those on the anterior portion, in particular, are depressed. It should be noted that the pilosity of P. benten is variable. Samples from the Kanto District tend to have shorter, more sparse hairs on the head than those from Kyushu, where the hairs are longer and more dense. The first gastral segment sometimes lacks hairs. The species nests at the margins of broadleaf forests and adjacent open land. It is most common in the southern part of Honshu south to Kyushu.
Touyama (1998) reported that hairs on the vertex may be often lacking in P. benten. Bolton (2000) described the hairless form as a separate new species named P. alecto. We believe the separate specific status of "alect" from P. benten to be questionable, requiring further study. For this reason we do not recognize P. alecto at this time.

Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Nansei Is.