Myrmicinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
Range
Costa Rica, Colombia (type locality), Brazil (Sao Paulo). Costa Rica: scattered localities in seasonally moist habitats.
Identification
Antennae 11-segmented; pronotal dorsum shallowly reticulate, not longitudinally rugose; hind tibia with short appressed pubescence, lacking abundant erect pilosity.
Similar species: urichi.
Natural History
My records of this species are from the Osa Peninsula, the "bosque humedo" of Santa Rosa National Park, La Selva Biological Station, and CATIE near Turrialba. I've also collected it in Colombia. Relative to its close relative urichi, and admittedly based on very few records, it appears to prefer slightly drier or more seasonal habitats. Most records are from Winkler samples of sifted litter from the forest floor. Nichole Barger and Dana Roth made collections of brevipilosa in separate baiting studies at La Selva Biological Station.
Comments
I used to identify this species as Oligomyrmex eidmanni. Fern‡ndez (2004) synonymized Oligomyrmex under Carebara and the species eidmanni under urichi.
Literature Cited
Fern‡ndez C., F. 2004. The American species of the myrmicine ant genus Carebara Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Caldasia 26:191-238.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu