Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Image of petiole.
Range
Costa Rica to western Colombia. Costa Rica: Atlantic and southern Pacific lowlands.
Identification
Mandible sharply bent at base, rest straight, widening apicad, when in their usual resting position, with tips crossed, they project beyond anterior border of clypeus, leaving a distinct gap; clypeus reduced, leaving labrum largely exposed; hypostomal teeth prominent, curving anterad beneath head, in full-face view projecting conspicuously into gap between clypeus and mandibles; dorsal and posterior faces of petiole meeting at an acute angle, forming a short, posteriorly directed tooth, node longer than wide in dorsal view with brief blunt posterior lobe; face coarsely punctate throughout; head elongate head, wider anterad than posterad.
Worker metrics (n=6). HL 1.65 (1.62-1.82); HW 1.45 (1.42-1.52); ML 1.15 (1.04-1.28); EL 0.40 (0.37-0.44); SL 2.02 (1.82-2.29); WL 3.17 (2.97-3.37) mm. CI 0.88 (0.83-0.90); MI 0.79 (0.74-0.84); OI 0.28 (0.26-0.30); SI 1.40 (1.29-1.58).
Natural History
Specimens have been taken as individual foragers, from leaf litter, and in pitfall traps. Longino observed a column crossing a trail, in which one worker carried isopod prey held above its head.
Comments
This species superficially resembles L. punctaticeps, and has consequently been misidentified more once, but once the types were studied the situation became clear. The elongate head, large hypostomal tooth, and mandibular shape are very distinct hallmarks for this species.
Page authors:
John E. Lattke piquihuye@gmail.com
John T. Longino longinoj@evergreen.edu
Date of this version: 3 March 2009.
Previous versions of this page: 28 May 1999, 7 July 2004.
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