Strumigenys syntacta Bolton
  Type location South
Africa
(Bolton, 2000: 592, illustrated, worker) Natal, Weza Forest.
9.iii.1985; for. litter, E-Y 2188; S Endrödy-Younga  .
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Bolton's description (2000) is at  . Images not available because of copyright
WORKER - Mesonotum
with a single pair of erect hairs; head capsule somewhat shallower and
a less convex profile; TL 2.0-2.2 mm, HL 0.53-0.57, HW
0.42-0.45, CI 79-81, MI 44-48, SL 0.32-0.34, SI 73-76.
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 For no obvious reason,
Bolton (2000) keyed out syntacta
in two couplets, running from couplet 42, eyes 3-6 ommatidia or 10
ommatifia (7-8 if scape slender); into a separation from traegaordhi in couplet 47,
and,separated from 53. The only reason offered but not actually stated
is that of paratype workers "eye showing variation in size". Note he
did not mention colour at all in his description or in couplet 47 for
either species. In couplet 53 he had syntacta
as a "Dark brown to blackish brown species".
The comparision right shows the heads of syntacta (paratype shown below),
Santschi's (19i4e) drawing of traegaordhi
and of traegaordhi from among
those listed as seen by Bolton (2000).
Allowing for the possible slight inaccuracy of
Santschi's drawing, the lefthand pair appear better matched than the
righthand pair. Santschi and Arnold (1917: 373) gave the colour
of traegaordhi as dark
reddish-yellow, sometimes brownish. There seems merit, perhaps,
in suggesting syntacta is no
more than what earlier authors (e.g. Santschi) would have termed a
variety.
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The photomontage of a
paratype worker is collated from