Procryptocerus eladio Longino and Snelling 2002

Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia

worker lateral view

worker face view

Image catalogue, holotype worker (click here).

Image catalogue, worker, sem (click here).

Range

Costa Rica (Cordillera de Tilaran).

Description of worker

Holotype worker measurements: HW 1.179, HL 1.201, SL 0.721, EL 0.286, MeL 1.638, MeW 0.865, PrW 0.551, PrL 0.371, PrS 0.406, PrT 0.777, MTL 0.777, MFL 0.861, MFW 0.290, PtL 0.474, PtW 0.369, PpW 0.533, PtH 0.342, AL 1.507, AW 1.194.

Face to vertex margin with evenly dispersed discrete foveae, distance between foveae subequal to fovea diameter or less; interspaces sublucid, with faint areolate etchings; clypeus produced anteriorly and strongly bent ventrad, concave, with small, shallow foveae; frontal carina extends onto clypeus; separated from and passing above torulus as a differentiated carina; genae closely foveate; genal bridge irregularly rugose; mandible longitudinally striate; in anterior view, eyes asymmetrically convex, skewed ventrad; scape with flange over condyle and neck, narrowing and terete above flange, broadening and flattening distally; surface of scape finely areolate, outer lateral margin shallowly punctatorugose; vertex margin angulate and somewhat crenate; vertex shiny with coarse, longitudinal striae radiating from occiput.

Mesonotal lobes completely absent; propodeal lobes in the form of weak convexities; in dorsal view spiracular gibbosities project from sides of propodeum, extending farther than propodeal lobes; spiracle openings face posteriorly; promesonotum uniformly foveate throughout; propodeal suture with longitudinal striae; dorsal face of propodeum longitudinally striate with a few foveae; propodeal suture in the form of an arched constriction, deeper laterally than medially, in profile not impressed, posterior mesonotum and dorsal face of propodeum meeting at very shallow angle; propodeal spines long, directed posteriorly; posterior face of propodeum nearly perpendicular to dorsal face, completely smooth and shining; dorsal face of pronotum broadly rounds into lateral face; lateral face foveate on upper half, grading into longitudinally striate on ventral half; anepisternum striate-foveate; katepisternum longitudinally striate; ventrolateral face of propodeum longitudinally striate; forecoxae striate; hind femur strongly swollen medially, spindle-shaped; outer surfaces of tibiae smooth and shining, with sparse piligerous puncta; posterior face of forefemur smooth and shining.

Petiole subcylindrical, longer than high, anterior face small, smooth and shining, posterodorsal face shallowly convex, rugose-foveate; ventral margin of petiole flat, with a ventrally directed, acute anterior tooth; postpetiole with gently sloping anterior face, a broad, rounded summit, and a more steeply sloping posterior face; anterior face rugose-foveate; posterior face foveate; ventral margin short, with a prominent, acute anterior tooth; first gastral tergite completely smooth and shining; first gastral sternite with anterolateral patches of oblique rugulae, remainder shiny with sparse piligerous puncta; second gastral tergite sublucid with microreticulate sculpture.

Face with fewer than 10 short, stiff setae; pronotum with about 10 short stiff setae along anterior border; mesonotum with six or fewer short stiff setae; dorsal face of propodeum with pair of short, stiff setae on lateral lobes, or these setae absent; petiolar dorsum with 2 and postpetiolar dorsum with about 4 longer, stiff setae; first gastral tergite with sparse, extremely short, completely appressed setae, no erect setae of any kind; first gastral sternite with dense, suberect, long pubescence; color entirely shining black.

Natural History

The type series was collected as scattered workers in the crown of a recent treefall, in mid-montane wet forest (a site with high rainfall and heavy epiphyte loads).

Types and Synonymy

Procryptocerus eladio Longino and Snelling 2002:14. Holotype worker: Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela: R’o Pe–as Blancas, 10¡19'N 84¡43'W, 800m, 25 Jun 1991 (Longino #2932-s) [INBC]. Barcode: LACM ENT 144292.


Literature Cited

Page author:

John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu

Date of this version: 6 December 2002.


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