Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Worker: mesosomal dorsum, SEM (reduced, original).
Queen: lateral view (reduced, original);
face view (reduced, original).
Range
Costa Rica to southern Mexico. Costa Rica: both slopes to 500m elevation; more common on Pacific slope.
Identification
AT4 (first tergite of gaster) lacking erect setae except for a row at the posterior border; pubescence on gaster strongly appressed; mesosomal dorsum with erect setae very inconspicuous, usually at least a pair on humeri, and usually another pair near posterior border of promesonotum; promesonotum weakly rugose, underlain with strong micropunctate sculpture; WL 0.51-0.60mm.
Notes
This species occurs from rainforest to seasonal dry forest, and is most often collected in Berlese or Winkler samples (Kugler 1994). In addition to the material reported in Kugler, Longino has collected specimens in Winkler samples from Santa Rosa, La Pacifica, Carara, Manuel Antonio, and La Selva.
The La Selva specimens have the pubescence on the mesosomal dorsum strongly appressed, and are very similar in appearance to Rogeria foreli from the same site. At La Selva, cuneola seems to differ from foreli only in the presence of a few erect setae on the promesonotum, and slightly stronger rugose sculpture. cuneola occurs on the ground, foreli in the canopy. Pacific slope cuneola have the pubescence on the mesosomal dorsum slightly raised, giving a slightly more scruffy look compared to Atlantic slope specimens.
JTL note added 4 January 2009: specimens of cuneola sometimes completely lack erect setae on mesosoma. Increasingly I rely on the coarser rugose sculpture on the mesosomal dorsum of cuneola, compared to foreli.
Literature Cited
Kugler, C. 1994. Revision of the ant genus Rogeria (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with descriptions of the sting apparatus. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3:17-89.
Page authors:
Grant Ramsey, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
Charles Kugler, Radford University, Radford VA 24142 USA.
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