Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Range
Costa Rica, Ecuador. Costa Rica: Atlantic slope to 1000m.
Identification
Promesonotal suture faintly impressed, not breaking sculpture; scapes fail to reach margin of vertex when laid back; dorsal surface of mandible smooth and shiny; propodeal dorsum transversely striate; large, long-headed species, HL greater than 1.7mm; when head is seen in perfect full-face view, vertex margin evenly convex; blunt but distinct vestiges of paired teeth on the propodeum.
Notes
This is a large and conspicuous species, but uncommon. The type specimen is from Jimenez, near present day Guapiles. Brown (1958) reported a collection from Turrialba, and Lattke (1995) reported a collection from Ecuador (Guayas: 3km SW Bucay). I have observed 5 specimens of this species, one from each of the following localities: Alajuela: Casa Eladio, Rio Penas Blancas, 10¡19'N, 84¡43'W, 800m (coll. J. Longino); El Aleman, Rio Penas Blancas, 10¡18'N, 84¡45'W, 940m (coll. J. Longino); Heredia: 4km NNE Horquetas, 10¡23'N, 83¡57'W, 50m (coll. R. Vargas C.); Limon: 16km W Guapiles, 10¡13'N, 83¡55'W, 400m (coll. P. Hanson); 6km WNW Pto. Viejo, 9¡40'N, 82¡49'W, 50m (coll. J. Longino). Two of the collections were of nocturnal foragers, 1-2m high on low vegetation.
Type data
Ectatomma (Gnamptogenys) alfaroi Emery 1894:145. Holotype (unique syntype) queen: Costa Rica, Jimenez (Alfaro).
Literature Cited
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1958. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. II. Tribe Ectatommini (Hymenoptera). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 118:175-362.
Emery, C. 1894. Studi sulle formiche della fauna neotropica. VI-XVI. Bolletino della Societa Entomologica Italiana 26:137-243.
Lattke, J. E. 1995. Revision of the ant genus Gnamptogenys in the New World (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 4:137-193.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
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