Dolichoderinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Range
Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. Costa Rica: widespread on the Pacific slope, from sea level to mid elevation, and with small incursions into the Penas Blancas Valley and the Turrialba area, both mid-elevation sites on the Atlantic slope. It has a parapatric distribution with D. validus, which occurs in the Atlantic lowlands.
Identification
Color black with abundant yellow pubescence; scapes and mesosomal dorsum with abundant erect setae; dorsal and posterior faces of propodeum separated by a well-defined transverse flange; petiolar summit not transversely truncate, lateral margin continuing and tapering into spine; vertex margin weakly concave, nearly flat.
Similar species: bispinosus, validus.
Natural History
Dolichoderus curvilobus and validus have identical nesting habits, forming large carton nests of very loosely woven plant fibers (Fig. 1). See additional notes and nest images under validus.
Figure 1. Nest of Dolichoderus curvilobus, Llorona, Corcovado National Park, 22 March 1981. Image on right is after disturbance, with sharpie marker for scale. Images by J. Longino.
Comments
This species is morphologically very similar to D. validus, with which it has a parapatric distribution. I have examined ten separate collections of curvilobus and 7 separate collections of validus, from scattered localities, and the head shape character is consistent.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
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