Dacetini, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Above images are of holotype. Additional images: holotype worker, dorsal view (small, large), alternate dorsal view (small, large), label (small, large).
Range
Costa Rica: Cordillera Volcanica Central, Barva transect at 1100m.
Identification
Mandible short and curving downward in profile; lateral head capsule with the antennal scrobe mostly or entirely smooth and shining; propodeal spines present (former Glamyromyrmex); leading edge of scape lacking erect setae; disc of postpetiole in dorsal view very broadly U-shaped or V-shaped, with an extremely deeply concave anterior face; spongiform tissue absent from ventral surface of petiole, postpetiole and first gastral sternite; lateral margins of head and posterior face near vertex margin with sparse erect setae; head in side view convex above and below, not flattened; mesosoma strongly ankylosed, dorsal face of propodeum absent, posterior face forming long flat shiny surface that meets promesonotal dorsum at a sharp transverse carina.
Natural History
Members of the genus are all predaceous, with a static pressure mode of attack (Bolton 1999, 2000).
This species occurs in mature cloud forest. It is known from two workers from two different Winkler samples of sifted litter from the forest floor.
Types
Holotype worker: Costa Rica: Heredia Prov., 16 km SSE La Virgen (10¡16'N 84¡05'W), 1100 m elevation, 14.III.2001, leg. Project ALAS 11/WF/02/01, specimen code INB0003214077 (INBC).
1 Paratype worker: Same data as holotype but 20.II.2001, leg. Project ALAS 11/WF/01/15, INB0003213718 (MCZC).
Description
Worker: Mandible short and curving downward in profile; lateral head capsule with the antennal scrobe mostly or entirely smooth and shining; propodeal spines present (former Glamyromyrmex); leading edge of scape lacking erect setae; disc of postpetiole in dorsal view very broadly U-shaped, with an extremely deeply concave anterior face; spongiform tissue absent from ventral surface of petiole, postpetiole and first gastral sternite; lateral margins of head and posterior face near vertex margin, promesonotum, petiolar node, postpetiole, and gastral dorsum with sparse erect setae; head in side view convex above and below, not flattened; mesosoma strongly ankylosed, dorsal face of propodeum absent, posterior face forming long flat shiny surface that meets promesonotal dorsum at a sharp transverse carina.
Measurements (holotype): ML 0.124, HL 0.561, HW 0.532, HD 0.296, MeL 0.484.
Etymology
Named for my daughter Erika Jane Longino.
Comments
In Bolton's (2000:148) key to Neotropical Pyramica, this species keys to P. rogata, but the strongly ankylosed mesosoma is unique and immediately distinguishes this species from any other of the Glamyromyrmex-like Pyramica.
Literature Cited
Bolton, B. 1999. Ant genera of the tribe Dacetonini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Nat. Hist. 33:1639-1689.
Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini, with a revision of the Strumigenys species of the Malagasy Region by Brian L. Fisher, and a revision of the Austral epopostrumiform genera by Steven O. Shattuck. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65:1-1028.
Longino, J. T. 2006. New species and nomenclatural changes for the Costa Rican ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8:131-143.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
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