Myrmicinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
Queen lateral view (reduced, original).
Range
Mexico to Panama. Costa Rica: widespread in lowland wet forest, including the Osa Peninsula, Hitoy Cerere, La Selva Biological Station and surrounding Atlantic slope sites to 1000m, Penas Blancas Valley, and the Pitilla area of Guanacaste Conservation Area. Appears less common on Pacific side (one record from the Osa Peninsula, Ranch Quemado) than on the Atlantic side (many records).
Identification
Worker: first gastral tergum with long flexuous setae over entire surface; petiolar node triangular, posterior face rugose; dorsum of postpetiole rugose, uniformly covered with long setae; Weber's length about 0.7mm. Queen: first gastral tergum with long flexuous setae over entire surface; Weber's length less than 1mm.
Similar species: grandis, laticeps.
Natural History
Workers and queens occur in samples of sifted leaf litter from the forest floor. Mike Kaspari collected a specimen at a barley bait in the La Selva successional plots.
Comments
See also revision by Feitosa and Brand‹o (2008).
Literature Cited
Feitosa, R. M., and C. R. F. Brand‹o. 2008. A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical myrmicine ant genus Lachnomyrmex Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 1890:1-49.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu