Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Alternate image of soldier face, higher focal plane (small, large).
Identification
Minor worker: head length 0.74mm, head width 0.59mm, scape length 0.84mm, Webers length 0.90mm (n=1). Head evenly rounded behind, with no vertex collar; mesonotal suture moderately impressed, metanotal groove well-impressed; propodeal spines nearly absent, junction of propodeal dorsum and declivity marked by transverse carina that is slightly produced into tubercles laterally, where spines would be in other species; face, mesosoma, and gaster shiny; thin, sharp, transverse, arcing rugae on posterior face and dorsal mesosoma; gastral dorsum smooth and shiny; dorsal pilosity moderately abundant, of moderate length, flexuous; color yellow; essentially a pale version of innupta.
Major worker: head length 1.42mm, head width 1.30mm, scape length 0.99mm (n=1).
E. O. Wilson examined the type of this species, and in the MCZ collection has provisionally determined that innupta Menozzi is a junior synonym. alfaroi was described as being dirty yellow, with transverse striae on the vertex, and nesting in dead wood. innupta is always black and nests under epiphytes, usually in the canopy. innupta and alfaroi are sympatric in the Vara Blanca area of Braulio Carrillo National Park. diana Forel, with which alfaroi also may be confused, is yellow, but lacks transverse striae on the vertex.
Range
Costa Rica (uplands of Cordillera Central).
Selected Records
The type locality is La Palma, 1500m (within 5km of following site).
Braulio Carrillo National Park (Bajo la Hondura): wet forest; on stalked nectaries on petioles of Impatiens along trail.
Braulio Carrillo National Park: wet forest; common in Winkler samples from 1000-1600m.
Page authors:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
Stefan Cover, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA. scover@oeb.harvard.edu
Date of this version: 26 November 1997
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