Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Identification
Eye relatively larger than any other species; mandible with two apical teeth and large basal tooth, basal tooth relatively sharp; face largely punctate.
Range
Costa Rica (various middle elevation sites on the Atlantic slope).
Natural History
See genus account.
Gotwald and Brown (1967) thoroughly describe the ecitonine-like behavior of this species, based on a nest collection from near Guapiles, Costa Rica. A foraging column led to a nest in a vertical dead stick suspended in low vegetation. The raiding column was returning with Pheidole brood as prey. At the time of collection the nest contained 361 workers (not including the estimated several hundred workers in the observed foraging column) and one queen.
Selected Records
Alajuela Province, Rio Penas Blancas, 800-950m (4 collections, including the following).
JTL5Jul84/0830: Wet forest; raiding column at 0830hrs. I followed the leading edge of the column. They were carrying booty so I presume they were returning. At first the column followed a route of several meters without hesitation; suddenly it became very hesitant, bunching up at the front, exploratory columns extending out in several directions. The column very slowly proceeded in this fashion for 2-3 meters, then I quit watching them. Later note: in the container, in addition to Simopelta workers, were 2 Pheidole soldiers and 1 minor worker (and a few small brood). I presume these were being carried by the raiding Simopelta workers when I collected them.
Guanacaste Province, 9km NE Santa Elena, 650m (1 collection).
Cartago Province, Tapanti, 1300m (1 collection).
Limon Province, near Guapiles (type locality).
Additional Images
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
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