Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Range
Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil (one unspecified locality). Range map for Costa Rica (figure).
Diagnosis
See discussion of rudis group.
Face sculpture composed of high, sharp, well-spaced rugae; spaces between rugae smooth and shining; rugae often anastomosing to form polygons, with little longitudinal orientation; this condition grades into increasing degrees of longitudinal orientation of rugae, especially anteriorly; rarely, rugae may be almost entirely longitudinal and subparallel; frontal carina separated from torulus dorsally, curving mesad and joining lateral clypeal carina; lateral part of clypeus, where it descends to anterior border of torulus, more or less flat, meeting torulus at right angle (in contrast to laeviventris, in which the lateral clypeus forms a trough in front of torulus) (Figure); HW greater than 1.3mm; AT4 smooth and shining, lacking pubescence, or with sparse, whitish pubescence under the erect setae .
Additional Description
Vertex differentiated from face by weak vertex margin; margin often indistinct medially (Figure); vertex with longitudinal subparallel rugae, of variable number and distinctness; intervals smooth and shining; propodeal dorsum lacking distinct lateral lobes; variable in sharpness and definition of juncture with sides; variable in size and distinctness of anterolateral corners; propodeal spines variable in orientation; in dorsal view projecting straight back or diverging; in lateral view in same plane with propodeal dorsum or projecting upward; AT4 completely smooth and shining, or with feeble longitudinal striation anteriorly; dorsal setae on face, mesosoma, and gaster abundant, filiform, erect; legs usually black, occasionally red; HW 1.3-1.7mm in Costa Rica (n=4), 1.95mm in Colombia (holotype).
Measurements of a Costa Rican specimen: HW 1.68, HL 1.59, SL 1.05, EL 0.39, MeL 2.41, MeW 1.23, PrW 0.74, PrL 0.67, PrS 0.48, PrT 1.15, MTL 1.39, MFL 1.54, MFW 0.46, PtL 0.60, PtW 0.53, PpW 0.62, PtH 0.43, AL 2.11, AW 1.75.
Measurements of lectotype: HW 1.95, HL 1.79, SL 1.20, EL 0.48, MeL 2.56, MeW 1.37, PrW 0.93, PrL 0.62, PrS 0.49, PrT 1.11, MTL 1.61, MFL 1.71, MFW 0.54, PtL 0.62, PtW 0.52, PpW 0.59, PtH 0.49, AL 2.04, AW 1.89.
Measurements of reichenspergeri type: HW 1.89, HL 1.83, SL 1.20, EL 0.48, MeL 2.55, MeW 1.40, PrW 0.99, PrL 0.70, PrS 0.47, MTL 1.60, MFL 1.69, MFW 0.53, PtL 0.59, PtW 0.57, PpW 0.65, PtH 0.52, AL 1.97, AW 1.96.
Additional Images
Lectotype worker of mayri: lateral view (original); face view (original); torulus (original); head, lateral view (original); vertex (original); mesosoma, lateral view (original); mesosoma, dorsal view (original); petiole and postpetiole, lateral view (original);
Type specimen of reichenspergeri: face view (reduced, original); closer view of face sculpture (reduced, original); dorsal view of gaster (reduced, original); lateral view (reduced, original); petiole and postpetiole, lateral view (reduced, original); vertex, oblique view (reduced, original); mesosoma, dorsal view (reduced, original).
SEM of worker face (reduced, original); torulus (reduced, original); gaster (reduced, original).
Natural History
In Costa Rica, Procryptocerus mayri and laeviventris are nearly always found together, and they are restricted to wet montane forest. They occur commonly in cloud forest habitats, reach their peak abundances between 1000 and 1500m, and drop out at lower elevations where other species of Procryptocerus become more abundant. The restriction to montane forest is vividly illustrated on the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica. Most of the peninsula is well below 500m elevation, but a few ridges in the center attain 700m, where there is a very small patch of vegetation with the aspect of a cloud forest. In spite of nearly two year's experience at low-elevation sites on the peninsula, P. mayri and P. laeviventris were only found during a two-day trip to this cloud forest, where they were abundant on low vegetation. On Costa Rica's Atlantic slope, mayri and laeviventris are common above 1000m in Braulio Carrillo National Park, but 10km north, at La Selva Biological Station (50-150m), they have never been collected in spite of intense collecting effort over many years.
Nests are found in a variety of plant stems, most often live ones. Individual nests contain fewer than 100 workers, but frequent lack of dealate queens in nests suggests polydomy. The amount of brood is small relative to the number of adult workers, and there are never obvious signs of stored food. This suggests a long-lived worker population with a low rate of worker production. Pupal, callow, and fully sclerotized adult queens have been found together in the same nest, which suggests a gradual production of sexuals, and probably their gradual release.
The following nest data are extracted from field notes. All are from Costa Rica.
Prov. Puntarenas, Rio Lagartos below Santa Elena de Monteverde (Longino): riparian forest patch along stream. An acanthaceous gangly shrub (probably Justicia) overhanging stream had scattered workers on it. Two nests were in the lower branches of the plant, and the entrances pointed downwards and were easily seen from below. One nest was 49cm long, entirely within a live, 14mm diameter branch, with a single, centrally located, circular entrance hole. The walls of the chamber were very smooth and clean. The second nest was in a live branch with a dead apex; 4cm of the nest in live stem, 52cm in dead. It had two lateral entrance holes 30cm apart. A third branch, near the previous two, had an externally visible entrance hole identical to those of the Procryptocerus nests, but the branch contained a populous Camponotus nest.
The entire contents of the two Procryptocerus nests were collected [first nest: 48 adult workers, 13 alate queens, 12 adult males, 15 queen pupae, 11 worker pupae, 5 prepupae, 12 large larve, 9 small larvae, a few eggs. second nest: 64 adult workers, 36 alate queens, 7 adult males, 32 queen pupae, 6 worker pupae, 5 prepupae, 29 large larve, 15 small larvae, a few eggs]. The nests contained workers, sexuals, and brood, but no colony queen, which suggests they were parts of a polydomous colony.
Prov. Puntarenas, Wilson Botanical Garden (Longino): On 28 Feb 1989 small saplings of Cecropia obtusifolia were examined along a river bank in forest. The apical internodes contained founding Azteca queens, but the lower internodes contained colonies of other genera, most commonly Procryptocerus mayri and Heteroponera panamense. Nests of Procryptocerus occupied single internodes, but some saplings contained more than one nest. The contents of six nests were recorded, and are reported below. A number of workers bore a peculiar pale patch on AT4, where the integument appeared thin, deformed, and weakly sclerotized.
Contents of Procryptocerus mayri nests in Cecropia obtusifolia saplings. Saplings were approximately 2m tall. One contained three nests, the rest contained one:
Colln. Number* 2397 2398 2399 2400 2401 2403 Sapling Number 1 1 1 2 3 4 Adult Workers 75 46 55 49 31 94 Dealate Queens 1 0 1 0 0 1 Adult Males 0 0 0 0 0 6 Brood + + + + + + * Longino accession number.
Monteverde, 1340m (Longino): wet forest edge; lone queen in soft rotten stick lodged in vegetation; a Camponotus nest was in the same stick.
Longino #165: wet forest; nest containing workers, alate queens, males, and larvae in the live trunk of a tree sapling.
Longino #1062: wet forest; nest in live branch of melastome tree; entire nest collected; contained 11 workers, 5 worker pupae, 2 prepupae, 6 larvae, 2 eggs.
Ward #7831: roadside; nest in dead twig of Baccharis trinervis.
Types and Synonymy
Procryptocerus mayri Forel 1899:43. Lectotype worker: Colombia (Landolt) [MHNG; examined August 1998]. Kempf 1951:103 (redescription of worker, designation of lectotype).
Paracryptocerus mayri reichenspergeri Santschi 1921:98 [lapsus for Procryptocerus]. Holotype (unique syntype) worker: Brazil (Reichensperger) [NHMB; examined August 1998]. Kempf 1951:105. Proposed NEW SYNONYMY.
Kempf (1951) examined a syntype worker of mayri and made it a lectotype. In 1990, I found two syntypes in MHNG; neither bore a lectotype label. I subsequently borrowed one of the workers. Its measurements and appearance match Kempf's description, so I have labeled it the lectotype.
Description of Queen
The following description is based on queen from Costa Rica.
Queen (n=1): HW 1.95, HL 1.78, SL 1.19, EL 0.47, MeL 2.88, MeW 1.69, MTL 1.59, PtL 0.72, PtH 0.55, PtW 0.58, PpW 0.71.
Similar to worker in details of sculpture and pilosity. Pronotum and anterior portion of mesoscutum coarsely areolate-foveate. On the posterior half of the mesoscutum, and on the scutellum the interspaces become increasingly aligned as longitudinal rugae between the foveae. Propodeal dorsum with a variable extent of the median area vermiculate-longitudinally rugose, lateral margins areolate-foveate. Dorsal half of declivous face with 3-4 strong transverse carinae, ventral half smooth and shining. Pronotal sculpture extends onto sides, grading into wavy longitudinal carinae. Most of katepisternum and side of propodeum longitudinally carinate. Ventral half of anepisternum longitudinally carinate or smooth, dorsal half areolate-foveate, like pronotum.
Based on separate collections of 6 P. mayri queens and 6 P. laeviventris queens, there is a sculptural difference between the two species. Queens of P. mayri have the ventral half of the anepisternum smooth or longitudinally carinate. Queens of P. laeviventris have the anepisternum entirely areolate-foveate, with at most a narrow ventral strip smooth or with 1-2 longitudinal carinae.
Material Examined
BRAZIL: no specific locality (Reichensperger) [reichenspergeri holotype; NHMB].
COLOMBIA: no specific locality (Landolt) [mayri holotype; MHNG].
COSTA RICA: Alajuela: Penas Blancas Valley [10¡18-20'N 84¡42-3'W], 800-1000m (numerous collections by J. Longino, 1984-1994) LACM ENT 139789, LACM ENT 139790, LACM ENT 139791, LACM ENT 139792, LACM ENT 139861, LACM ENT 139787, LACM ENT 139788, INBIOCRI001283007, LACM ENT 139860 [LACM]; 1.5km SE Cariblanco, 10¡16'N 84¡10'W, 800m, 19 Jul 1976 (H. Hespenheide) LACM ENT 139808 [LACM]; Heredia: 22km N Volcan Barba, 10¡20'N 84¡04'W, 500m, 8 Mar 1985 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139793, LACM ENT 139794, LACM ENT 139795, LACM ENT 139796, LACM ENT 139797, LACM ENT 139798, LACM ENT 139799, LACM ENT 139800, LACM ENT 139801, LACM ENT 139812, LACM ENT 139813 [JTLC, INBio, LACM]; Rara Avis, 17km S Pto. Viejo, 10¡18'N 84¡03'W, 700m, 11 Sep 1985 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139806, LACM ENT 139807, LACM ENT 139814, LACM ENT 139815 [LACM]; 16km N Vol. Barba, 10¡17'N 84¡05'W, 950m, 9 Jul 1986 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139805, LACM ENT 139855, LACM ENT 139856, LACM ENT 139857 [JTLC, LACM]; Puntarenas: Cerro Rincon, Corcovado National Park [8¡33'N 83¡29'W], 700m, 27 Feb 1981 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139862 [LACM]; Monteverde, 10¡18'N 84¡48'W, 1400m (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139811, LACM ENT 139810; Monteverde, 10¡18'N 84¡48'W, 1400m, 12 Aug 1976 (H. Hespenheide) LACM ENT 139809 [LACM]; Rio Lagartos, 10¡19'N 84¡51'W, 1100m, 28 Jun 1984 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139820, LACM ENT 139821, LACM ENT 139822, LACM ENT 139823, LACM ENT 139824, LACM ENT 139825, LACM ENT 139826, LACM ENT 139827, LACM ENT 139828, LACM ENT 139829, LACM ENT 139830, LACM ENT 139831, LACM ENT 139832, LACM ENT 139833, LACM ENT 139834, LACM ENT 139835, LACM ENT 139836, LACM ENT 139837, LACM ENT 139838, LACM ENT 139839, LACM ENT 139840, LACM ENT 139841, LACM ENT 139842, LACM ENT 139843 [JTLC, INBio, LACM, MZSP]; San Luis Valley, 10¡17'N 84¡47'W, 1100m, 2 Mar 1994 (J. Longino) INBIOCRI001282745 [LACM]; Wilson Botanical Garden, 4km S San Vito, 8¡47'N 82¡58'W, 1200m, 28 Feb 1989 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139785, LACM ENT 139786, INBIOCRI001280553, INBIOCRI001280554, INBIOCRI001280562, INBIOCRI001280563, INBIOCRI001280564, INBIOCRI001280565, INBIOCRI001280576, LACM ENT 139816, LACM ENT 139817, LACM ENT 139818, LACM ENT 139819 [JTLC, LACM]; 5km SW Las Alturas, 8¡55'N 82¡52'W, 1240m, 24 Mar 1990 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139863 [LACM]; San Jose: Bajo La Hondura, Braulio Carrillo Nat. Park [10¡04'N 83¡59'W], 1100m, 12 Sep 1982 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139802, LACM ENT 139858, LACM ENT 139859 [LACM]; 1km N La Ese, 9¡27'N 83¡43'W, 1400m, 5 Aug 1985 (P. S. Ward) [UCDC]; 9.5km E tunel, Braulio Carrillo Nat. Park [10¡07'N 83¡58'W], 1000m (P. Hanson) [UCRC]; Carrillo, Braulio Carrillo Nat. Park [10¡09'N 83¡55'W], 500m, 20 Sep 1980 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139803, LACM ENT 139804 [LACM]; La Montura, Braulio Carrillo Nat. Park [10¡07'N 83¡58'W], 1000m, 26 Jul 1981 (P. DeVries) LACM ENT 139864 [LACM].
Literature Cited
Forel, A. 1899. Formicidae. Biologia Centrali-Americana, Hymenoptera 3:1-160.
Kempf, W. W. 1951. A taxonomic study on the ant tribe Cephalotini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Revista de Entomologia 22:1-244.
Santschi, F. 1921. Ponerinae, Dorylinae et quelques autres formicides neotropiques. Bulletin de la Societe Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 54:81-103.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
Date of this version: 2 September 1998.
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