Formicinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Additional images: lectotype worker, lateral view (small, large), face view (small, large), dorsal view (small, large), dorsal view of first gastral tergite (small, large), hind tibia (small, large), labels (small, large). Although not published yet, Bill MacKay has chosen one worker from the syntype series to be lectotype.
Range
Caribbean, Costa Rica, south to Brazil, Peru (Bill Mackay, pers. comm.). Costa Rica: Atlantic and southern Pacific lowlands.
Identification
Minor worker: Propodeum lacking spines or tubercles of any kind; propodeum somewhat box-like, dorsal and lateral faces flat or nearly flat and meeting at an approximate right angle; dorsal face of propodeum subrectangular; pubescence on first gastral tergite dilute, appressed to suberect, not obscuring integument; color uniformly orange; integument shiny; erect setae abundant, long, flexuous.
Natural History
This is a relatively uncommon species. It occurs in lowland wet forest habitats. It has been collected several times in canopy fogging samples at La Selva Biological Station. At Llorona, in Corcovado National Park, I found a nest in an old banana patch along beach. The nest was in a hollow twig, 2m high, inside diameter 4.5mm, outside diameter 7mm.
At Puerto Viejo de Limon, in beach strand vegetation, I found a few workers in a small dead stick. Curiously, the workers ran with Azteca workers in the vicinity and blended in with them. Similarly, at San Pedrillo station in Corcovado National Park, I found C. pittieri and Azteca workers running together on Passiflora pittieri shoots, visiting extrafloral nectaries. Does this species have a special relationship with Azteca?
Type Data
Camponotus pittieri Forel 1899:143. Lectotype worker: Costa Rica (Tonduz).
Notes
I used to refer to this species as C. formiciformis Forel 1885, which occurs from Mexico to Honduras.
Literature Cited
Forel, A. 1885 ("1884"). ƒtudes myrmŽcologiques en 1884 avec une description des organes sensoriels des antennes. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 20:316-380.
Forel, A. 1899. Formicidae. [concl.]. Biol. Cent. Am. Hym. 3:137-160.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
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