Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Range
Costa Rica (La Selva Biological Station).
Identification
Masticatory margin of mandibles serrate, with a distinct series of sharp teeth. All other known Platythyrea have edentate mandibles.
Notes
This species is still only known from La Selva Biological Station. The type and paratypes (all workers) of prizo were collected at the La Selva Biological Station, from three different berlese samples: (1) light brown duff from root mat around grass-like plant; (2) root duff from epiphytic garden; and (3) buttress duff with soil, El Sura trail (Kugler 1977). Ronald Vargas, of the ALAS Project, collected the first queen of this species, a dealate adult in rotten wood. Three males have been collected, two by Henry Hespenheide, and one in an ALAS project malaise trap. The males, previously unknown, are assumed conspecific because they also have serrate mandibles, and they have a similar petiole shape.
Type data
Platythyrea prizo Kugler 1977:216. Holotype worker: Costa Rica, Heredia Prov., La Selva Biological Station (Wagner and Kethley) [Field Museum].
Literature Cited
Brown, W. L., Jr. 1975. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. V. Ponerinae, tribes Platythyreini, Cerapachyini, Cylindromyrmecini, Acanthostichini, and Aenictogitini. Search, Agriculture, Cornell University 5:1-116.
Kugler, C. 1977 ("1976"). A new species of Platythyrea (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Costa Rica. Psyche (Camb.) 83:216-221.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
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