Formicinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
|
|
|
|
|
|
Range
Mexico to Brazil. Costa Rica: Cordillera Volcanica Central, Cordillera de Tilaran.
Identification
Minor worker: Propodeum lacking spines or tubercles of any kind; propodeum somewhat box-like, dorsal and lateral faces flat or nearly flat and meeting at an approximate right angle; dorsal face of propodeum subrectangular; pubescence on first gastral tergite dilute, appressed to suberect, not obscuring integument; color black; propodeum strongly projecting dorsally, not continuous with dorsal profile of mesosoma.
Natural History
This species inhabits wet forest habitats. It is more common in montane sites than in lowland sites. It is relatively common around Monteverde, in the upper Penas Blancas Valley east of Monteverde, and in Braulio Carrillo National Park from 500-1000m elevation. It decreases in abundance at lower elevations. At La Selva Biological Station (50-100m elevation) it is relatively uncommon, having been collected in seven of 52 canopy fogging samples, and once by me in the subcanopy of a Pentaclethra tree. Workers are diurnal.
Nests are in dead or live stems. I have found nests in dead sticks lodged in the canopy, in rotten sticks in low roadside vegetation, in the live stem of an epiphytic Coussapoa (Moraceae), and in Cecropia trees (as scattered occupied internodes in portions of trees not occupied by dominant Azteca). I have found lone founding queens in dead sticks, suggesting monogynous claustral founding.
Type Data
Notes
Literature Cited
Roger, J. 1863. Die neu aufgefuehrten Gattungen und Arten meines Formiciden-Verzeichnisses, nebst Ergaenzung einiger frueher gegeben Beschreibungen. Berl. Entomol. Z. 7:131-214.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
Go back to top