Myrmicinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
|
|
|
Range
Costa Rica: Atlantic lowlands, moist Pacific slope near Monteverde.
Identification
Antennae 9-segmented, so small it is hard to count the five segments between the two-segmented club and the larger first funicular segment; mesosoma strongly ankylosed; propodeal suture not impressed; propodeum short and sloping, without distinct dorsal face; petiole lacking anteroventral tooth; mesosomal dorsum with about 4 pairs of erect setae, fourth abdominal tergite with abundant short erect setae; mesosomal and metasomal dorsa with underlying pubescence absent or so short and appressed as to be invisible; color brown.
Natural History
These ants are so extremely tiny that they are probably more common than we think. I know this species from CATIE near Turrialba, Hitoy Cerrere Biological Reserve, La Selva Biological Station, and a Pacific slope site at 900m elevation just west of Monteverde. All the collections I have seen have been from either Winkler or Berlese samples of litter from the forest floor.
Comments
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
Go back to top