The current taxonomic status of this name is Procryptocerus carbonarius var. laeviventris, a junior synonym of P. carbonarius.
Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Range
Costa Rica, Panama.
Diagnosis
See discussion of rudis group. Face sculpture clathrate, composed of polygons delimited by thin walls; clathrate sculpture grades into varying degrees of longitudinal striation medially; medial face may be longitudinally striate with no lateral connections; striae and polygon walls usually narrower than intervals or internal diameters of polygons (except material from Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica); intervals smooth and shining; frontal carina separated from torulus dorsally, curving mesad and joining lateral carina on clypeus (figure); lateral part of clypeus, where it descends to anterior border of torulus, forms a trough in front of clypeus (figure) (in contrast to mayri, in which the lateral clypeus is more or less flat, meeting torulus at right angle); posterior face of forefemur completely smooth and shining; AT4 usually completely smooth and shining, if some striation is present it is irregular and leaves at least the central portion of the disk smooth, never forming regular, parallel striae over most or all of AT4; mean HW 1.29mm (range 1.11-1.50, n=4).
Additional Description
Clypeus at level of antennal insertions abruptly bent ventrad; clypeus with prominent median longitudinal carina, flanked with 3-4 longitudinal carinae on each side; eyes nearly symmetrically convex; juncture of clypeal and frontal carina often weak, creating a break such that frontal carina does not appear to run uninterruptedly onto clypeus; clypeal carina posterior to juncture very weak, inconspicuous; vertex margin obtuse, weak, obsolete medially; vertex shiny with variable development of coarse, longitudinal, parallel striae; mesonotal teeth vary from squared-off right-angle lobes to projecting, subacute teeth; anterolateral propodeal lobes obsolete, or with variably pronounced subtriangular teeth a short distance posterior to anterolateral margin (figure); propodeal suture weakly impressed and not breaking sculpture, but still visible medially; with the exception of material from the Osa Peninsula (see below), AT4 completely smooth, or rarely with short, irregular, longitudinal striae near the petiolar insertion; AT5 smooth to irregularly and faintly punctatorugose; AS4 largely smooth, with faint rugulae anterolaterally; dorsal setae on face, mesosoma, and gaster abundant, stiff, erect; color shining black.
Material from the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica is distinctive: face sculpture of longitudinal, subvermiculate striae medially, grading to polygons laterally; striae and walls of polygons high, rounded, giving face a somewhat "melted" look relative to material from the central ranges; width of striae subequal to intervals; intervals more V-shaped than U-shaped; interiors of lateral polygons rounded, without a flat floor; AT4 with irregular longitudinal striae anteriorly and posteriorly, leaving disk smooth and shining (figure: reduced, original).
Measurements of holotype: HW 1.11, HL 1.11, SL 0.73, EL 0.32, MeL 1.43, MeW 0.80, PrW 0.57, PrL 0.36, PrS 0.25, PrT 0.61, MTL 0.73, PtW 0.36, PpW 0.44, PtH 0.33, AL 1.37, AW 1.12.
Additional Images
Holotype worker from Panama: lateral view (reduced, original); face view (reduced, original); dorsal view (reduced, original); mesosoma, dorsal view (original); vertex (original); gaster (original).
Worker from Costa Rica, Cerro Cacao in Cordillera de Guanacaste: face view, SEM (reduced, original); torulus, SEM (reduced, original); mesosoma, dorsal view (reduced, original); mesosoma, lateral view (reduced, original); petiole and postpetiole, lateral and dorsal views (reduced, original); gaster, dorsal view (reduced, original); gaster, lateral view to show pilosity (reduced, original).
Natural History
Most collections are of foraging workers obtained from montane wet forest, on low vegetation or in the canopy. No collections are known from below 600m elevation. Workers are often observed in recent treefalls. P. laeviventris appears to be very similar to P. mayri in its habitat preference and nesting habits (see additional notes under P. mayri). Nests contain fewer than 100 workers, and may be found in live or dead stems. Colonies appear to be monogynous, but polydomy is suggested by one nest observed without a queen. The following data on nest collections are extracted from field notes, all from Costa Rica.
Rio Penas Blancas (Longino, 23-24 Jul 1984): an entire nest was collected in a hollow, living stem of an epiphytic shrub, 20m high in a Guarea tree. The nest contained 55 adult workers, 1 dealate queen, 1 adult male, 3 pupae, 13 large larvae, and a small amount of smaller brood.
Longino #1366: nest in dead vine stem.
Ward #6520, #6521: ex dead twig (two nests).
Longino #1601: an entire nest was collected from one internode of a Cecropia insignis sapling. The nest contained 87 adult workers, 58 pupae, 10 prepupae, 18 large larvae, and a few small larvae and eggs.
Longino #2356: an entire nest was collected from a dead branch. The nest contained 96 workers, 1 dealate queen, and brood.
Types and Synonymy
Procryptocerus laeviventris Forel PROPOSED NEW STATUS
Procryptocerus carbonarius var. laeviventris Forel 1899:47. Holotype (unique syntype) worker: Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion) [MHNG, examined August 1998].
Procryptocerus carbonarius (Mayr): Kempf 1951:27 (incorrect synonymy).
Description of Queen
The queen, previously unknown, is described below, based on a dealate queen from Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Queen (n=1): HW 1.45, HL 1.37, SL 0.89, EL 0.35, MeL 2.13, MeW 1.26, MTL 1.09, PtL 0.56, PtH 0.42, PtW 0.46, PpW 0.64.
Head subtriangular in dorsal view, margin of vertex somewhat erose, well-defined laterally, obscure medially, such that the margin appears cordate. In lateral view, scrobe extends straight back almost to vertex margin, then abruptly bends ventrally. Vertex shiny, with approximately 20 carinae radiating from occipital foramen. Interior of scrobe shiny. Frons coarsely areolate, as in worker. Clypeus sharply bent in the middle such that the anterior half is perpendicular to the frons. Clypeus with approximately 8 sharp longitudinal carinae which diverge anterior to the bend, leaving a deep anteromedian depression with transverse rugae and a dense tuft of golden setae. Genae similar to frons, genal bridge longitudinally striate. Mandibles with basal and masticatory margins meeting at a sharp right angle, apex of masticatory margin with three teeth of progressively smaller size, followed by two small denticles, lower half of masticatory margin completely edentate, flat. Outer surface of mandibles longitudinally striate. Scape with enlarged basal tooth extending down over neck and condyle, lower shaft subterete, becoming broader and flattened distally. Scape minutely alveolate, with outer margin faintly rugose.
Pronotum, axillae, scutellum, and propodeal dorsum coarsely areolate as on frons, mesoscutum tending more to discrete foveae. Posterior face of propodeum smooth and shiny except for 1-2 transverse carinae between spine bases. Sides of pronotum grading into coarse longitudinal striae. Similar striae covering dorsal half of katepisternum, extending about half way across the propodeum, rest of sides of mesosoma, including anepisternum, coarsely areolate. Forecoxae transversely striate, meso- and metacoxae unsculptured. Propodeal spines triangular, just under half the length of the propodeal dorsum. Femora strongly swollen medially, spindle-shaped. Exterior surfaces of tibiae longitudinally rugose-areolate, rest of legs smooth and shining.
Petiole elongate with gently convex dorsal surface, ventral surface concave, with small anterior tooth. Postpetiole with short, stout anteroventral tooth. Anterior face of petiole shiny with a few transverse striae. Posterior face of petiole and dorsum of postpetiole coarsely areolate.
Gaster completely unsculptured except for sparse, minute piligerous puncta, and very narrow traces of rugae at the margins of terga and sterna.
Body and appendages completely covered with short, filiform setae. AT4 also with sparse, very short subdecumbent setae.
Color uniformly black.
Material Examined
COSTA RICA: province unknown: La Fuente, Mar 1900 (A. Alfaro) [MCSN]; Alajuela: Penas Blancas Valley, 10¡18-9'N 84¡42-5'W, 800-940m, various dates 1984-1994 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139711, LACM ENT 139712, LACM ENT 139713, LACM ENT 139710, LACM ENT 139708, LACM ENT 139709, INBIOCRI001282960, INBIOCRI001283008, LACM ENT 139702, LACM ENT 139703, LACM ENT 139704, LACM ENT 139705, LACM ENT 139706, LACM ENT 139707, LACM ENT 139739 [FSCA, JTLC, LACM, MZSP]; Cataracta La Paz, 4km N Vara Blanca, 10¡12'N 84¡10'W, 1350m, 22 Jun 1976 (H. Hespenheide) LACM ENT 139720 [LACM]; Rio San Lorencito, 5km N Col. Palmarena [10¡17'N 84¡34'W] 900m (INBio curso Carabidae) [INBio]; Cartago: 8km ESE Moravia, 9¡48'N 83¡23'W, 700m, 28 Aug 1985 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139722 [LACM]; Guanacaste: West side Volcan Cacao, [10¡56'N 85¡27'W] 1100m, Feb 1989 (I. Gauld) [UCRC]; Estac. Cacao, SW side Volcan Cacao [10¡56'N 85¡27'W] 1000-1400m (GNP Biod. Sur.) [INBio]; Cerro Cacao, 10¡56'N 85¡28'W, 1500m, 9 Feb 1989 (J. Longino) INBIOCRI001280480, INBIOCRI001280481, LACM ENT 139729, LACM ENT 139730 [JTLC, LACM]; 3km N Santa Elena, 10¡20'N 84¡50'W, 1500m, 26 Jun 1991 (J. Longino) INBIOCRI001282677 [LACM]; Arenales, W side Volcan Cacao, 10¡56'N 85¡28'W, 900m, 1988-1989 [UCRC]; Heredia: Casa Plastico, 17km S Pto. Viejo, 10¡18'N 84¡2'W, 550m, 20 Jan 1989 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139721 [LACM]; 13km N Vol. Barba, 10¡15'N 84¡05'W, 1300m, 4-14 Jul 1986 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139719 [LACM]; 16km N Vol. Barba, 10¡17'N 84¡05'W, 950m, 4-14 Jul 1986 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139718, LACM ENT 139723, LACM ENT 139724 [JTLC, LACM]; Puntarenas: numerous collections from Monteverde and vicinity, 10¡18'N 84¡48'W, 1100-1600m, collected by S. P. Cover, E. M. Fisher, H. Hespenheide, S. Koptur, J. Longino, P. S. Ward, LACM ENT 139696, LACM ENT 139697, LACM ENT 139698, LACM ENT 139691, LACM ENT 139692, LACM ENT 139694, LACM ENT 139690, LACM ENT 139695, LACM ENT 139693, LACM ENT 139726, LACM ENT 139740, LACM ENT 139741, LACM ENT 139715, LACM ENT 139699, LACM ENT 139731, LACM ENT 139700, LACM ENT 139727, LACM ENT 139701, LACM ENT 139714, LACM ENT 139728, LACM ENT 139725, LACM ENT 139742, LACM ENT 139734, LACM ENT 139735, LACM ENT 139736, LACM ENT 139737, LACM ENT 139738, INBIOCRI001283021 [JTLC, LACM, MCZC, PSWC]; 6km S San Vito de Java [8¡47'N 82¡58'W], 1200m, 14 Mar 1967 (D. H. Janzen) LACM ENT 140649 [LACM]; 4km SSE San Vito, 8¡47'N 82¡58'W, 1200m, 27 Mar 1990 (P. S. Ward) LACM ENT 139732 [JTLC]; Fila Cruces, nr San Vito, 8¡47'N 83¡3'W, 1200m, 1 Jul 1995 (J. Longino) INBIOCRI001280719, INBIOCRI001280720 [LACM]; 6km WNW Las Alturas, 8¡58'N 82¡53'W, 1650m, 20 Mar 1990 (P. S. Ward) LACM ENT 139733 [LACM]; Peninsula de Osa, Cerro Rincon [8¡33'N 83¡29'W], 745m (P. Hanson) [UCRC]; Osa Peninsula, Corcovado, Rio Nino [8¡33'N 83¡29'W], 700m, 27 Feb 1981 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139749, LACM ENT 139750, LACM ENT 139751 [JTLC, LACM]; Estacion Biol. Pittier, 9¡2'N 82¡58'W, 1670m, 28 Jun - 2 Jul 1995 (J. Longino) INBIOCRI001280828, INBIOCRI001280829, INBIOCRI001280809, INBIOCRI001280810 [INBio, JTLC, LACM]; San Jose: Bajo La Hondura [10¡4'N 83¡59'W], 1100m, 19 Sep 1980, 12 Sep 1982 (J. Longino) LACM ENT 139717, LACM ENT 139716 [LACM]; same data (P. S. Ward) [PSWC]; 9.5km E tunel, Braulio Carrillo Nat. Park [10¡7'N 83¡58'W], 1000m (P. Hanson) [UCRC].
PANAMA: Chiriqui: Volcan de Chiriqui [8¡48'N 82¡33'W] 3-4000 ft. [1000m] (Champion) [laeviventris holotype, MHNG]; Panama: Cerro Campana, 8¡40'N 79¡56'W, 850m, various dates, 1977-78 (H. Hespenheide) LACM ENT 139746, LACM ENT 139747, LACM ENT 139748, LACM ENT 139745, LACM ENT 139744, LACM ENT 139743 [JTLC, 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.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
Date of this version: 4 September 1998.
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