Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Range
Costa Rica to southern Brazil. Costa Rica: Atlantic lowlands (La Selva).
Identification
Mesosomal dorsum setose; no carina between mandible and eye; propodeal spiracle circular, not slit-shaped; mesotibia with stout setae along outer margin; worker eyeless; mandible subfalcate; color orange.
Natural History
This species may have a restricted distribution in Costa Rica; I know it only from La Selva Biological Station. The distinctive bright orange alate queens are fairly common, being taken in malaise traps, sweeping, etc. Henry Hespenheide captured a queen and a male as prey of robber flies (Asilidae). The distinctive workers are only rarely encountered, in Berlese or Winkler samples. Given the eyeless condition, I would guess this species is largely subterranean. Subterranean ants are difficult to sample, and thus this species may be more common than collections suggest.
Type Data
Wadeura guianensis Weber 1939:103. Syntype worker, queen: Guyana, Oronoque River.
Literature Cited
Weber, N. A. 1939. New ants of rare genera and a new genus of Ponerine ants. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 32:91-104.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
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