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The genus Prionopelta is widespread in the American tropics, and occurs sporadically in the Old World tropics: Madagascar, southeastern Africa, Indo-Australia (Brown 1960). Colonies typically occur in moist forested habitats, nesting in dead wood in the leaf litter or beneath stones.
Two studies have been carried out on the behavior of P. amabilis, based on captive colonies from La Selva Biologica Station in Costa Rica (Hoelldobler and Wilson 1986, Hoelldobler et al. 1992). Summaries of those studies may be found on the amabilis page, but some of the observations may apply generally to other Prionopelta species.
Key to Prionopelta Species Known from Costa Rica, Based on Workers
10a. Face densely, uniformly punctate, opaque: modesta
10b. Puncta on face faint, widely spaced, intervals smooth and shining: amabilis
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1960. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. III. Tribe Amblyoponini (Hymenoptera). Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 122:143-230.
Hoelldobler, B., Obermayer, M., Wilson, E. O. 1992. Communication in the primitive cryptobiotic ant Prionopelta amabilis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Comp. Physiol. A. Sens. Neural Behav. Physiol. 171:9-16.
Hoelldobler, B., Wilson, E. O. 1986. Ecology and behavior of the primitive cryptobiotic ant Prionopelta amabilis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insectes Soc. 33:45-58.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
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