Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Identification
Minor worker: head length 0.90mm, head width 0.75mm, scape length 1.14mm, Webers length 1.32mm (n=1). Head somewhat elongate behind, with vertex collar; promesonotum evenly arched, mesonotal and metanotal grooves weak; propodeal spines very long; face, mesosoma, and gaster covered with faint shagreening, giving violaceous reflections, underlying sculpture generally smooth, with faint punctation on katepisternum and lateral propodeum; dorsal pilosity abundant, long, flexuous; color red.
Major worker: head length 2.68mm, head width 2.46mm, scape length 1.13mm (n=1). Medial face striatofoveolate, with fine, closely-spaced striae longitudinal and radiating obliquely, abrupt transition to smooth and polished laterally and on vertex lobes; hypostomal margin with pair of short, broad, triangular teeth, located about one third distance from midline to recessed teeth flanking mandibles; dorsal pilosity abundant; head with abundant short setae projecting from sides of head in face view.
Similar species: JTL-134.
Range
Costa Rica (Atlantic slope to 800m; type locality "Jimenez," near Guapiles).
Natural History
Inhabits wet forest habitats; nests in soil.
Selected Records
La Selva: at baits.
La Selva: soil excavation at side of trail, obvious nest entrance, but failed to locate colony upon digging.
La Selva: recruiting to lunch scraps; nest in mud bank at side of stream; never found nest center, but did turn up one soldier during excavation.
Braulio Carrillo National Park: collection at 500m.
Rara Avis: Winkler samples.
Penas Blancas Valley: Winkler samples.
Penas Blancas Valley: night collecting in primary forest; large aggregation of minors and soldiers at tip of dead branch.
Guanacaste Conservation Area (Pitilla): Winkler sample.
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
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