Dacetini, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
|
|
|
Range
Full Range: pantropical, and scattered localities in subtropical and temperate zones.
Costa Rican Range: unknown, but could appear in any disturbed area. I have never seen the species in Costa Rica, but Kempf (1972) reports its occurrence there.
Identification
Mandible short and curved downward; dorsal mesosoma smooth or nearly so; pronotum sharply marginate anteriorly, marginate dorsolaterally throughout its entire length; with the head in full-face view and the mandibles fully closed the dorsal surface of each mandible basally with a very distinct sharp transverse edge or rim that extends across the width of the blade, parallel to and in front of the anterior clypeal margin; pronotal humeral hair absent; dorsal surfaces of middle and hind tibiae with decumbent to appressed short spatulate hairs. Also see Bolton (2000:322, figs. 212, 235).
Natural History
Members of the genus are all predaceous, with a static pressure mode of attack (Bolton 1999).
This species is a pantropical tramp, apparently easily introduced to new areas by human activities. It has a remarkably wide distribution, occurring in both mainland and island regions throughout the tropics and subtropics, and occasionally occurring in the temperate zone. Colonies typically occur in highly disturbed or cultivated areas, beneath debris or dead wood on the ground.
Original Description
Strumigenys (Trichoscapa) membranifera Emery 1869:24, fig. 11. Holotype worker: Italy, Napoli, Portici [MCSN].
Later moved to Trichoscapa, then Pyramica. See Bolton (2000) for complete synonymy.
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.
Emery, C. 1869. Enumerazione dei formicidi che rinvengonsi nei contorni di Napoli con descrizioni di specie nuove o meno conosciute. Ann. Accad. Aspir. Nat. Secunda Era 2:1-26.
Kempf, W. W. 1972. Catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical. Stud. Entomol. 15:3-344.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA.longinoj@evergreen.edu
Go back to top