Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Identification
Mandibles with large apical tooth, smaller subapical tooth, and 5-6 smaller denticles of more or less uniform size; mandibles shiny with large piligerous punctures; clypeus broadly and evenly convex; eyes small, 4-5 facets in maximum diameter; occipital carina not visible in face view; propodeal suture moderately impressed; dorsal and posterior faces of propodeum distinct; propodeum with longitudinal median depression; petiole with anteroventral tooth; postpetiole with small anteroventral tooth; color yellow; HW 0.50; HL 0.60, SL 0.49; WL 0.83 (n=1).
I have not seen the type. The type is from Zent (W. M. Mann).
Range
Costa Rica. Zent, La Selva.
Natural History
This species was previously known only from the types, which had no biological data. While collecting Attini at La Selva Biological Station, Jim Wetterer discovered a colony occupying the fungus garden of a Trachymyrmex nest. Several other species of Megalomyrmex, including mondabora, silvestrii, and symmetochus, appear to be specialized associates of small attines (Wheeler 1925, Kempf and Brown 1968, Brandao 1990).
Literature Cited
Brandao, C. R. F. 1990. Systematic revision of the Neotropical ant genus Megalomyrmex Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae), with the description of thirteen new species. Arquivos de Zoologia (Sao Paulo) 31:411-481.
Kempf, W. W., Brown, W. L., Jr. 1968. Report on some Neotropical ant studies. Papeis Avulsos Zool. 22:89-102.
Wheeler, W. M. 1925. A new guest-ant and other new Formicidae from Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Biol. Bull. Mar. Biol. Lab., Woods Hole 49:150-181.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
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