Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Range
Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica (type locality). Costa Rica: throughout the country in wet forest habitats, low and middle elevations. Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve, La Selva Biological Station and northern slope Volcan Barba to 1100m, Turrialba, Penas Blancas, Pitilla in Guanacaste Conservation Area, Carara, Wilson Botanical Garden. Unknown from the Osa Peninsula and vicinity.
Identification
Scape extends well beyond margin of vertex (SL/HL greater than 0.86); HL 0.82-0.97mm; eye with more than 10 facets; shiny, black-brown with blue irridescence. Measurement data. This species is quite distinct from all other Costa Rican Hypoponera, and not easily confused with other species.
Natural History
This species occurs in mature wet forest habitats, and inhabits leaf litter on the forest floor. I most often collect it in Winkler samples of sifted litter.
Type Data
Ponera nitidula Emery 1890:43. Syntype worker: Costa Rica.
Literature Cited
Emery, C. 1890. Studi sulle formiche della fauna neotropica. I-V. Bullettino della Societa Entomologica Italiana 22:38-80.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
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