Dacetini, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
|
|
|
Above images are of holotype. Additional images: Holotype worker, scape (large), label (small, large).
Range
Full Range: Costa Rica (type locality).
Costa Rican Range: Atlantic lowlands.
Identification
Mandibles in full-face view linear, elongate and narrow; ventral surface of petiole without spongiform tissue; leading edge of scape with freely projecting hairs, these relatively thin and strongly curved; inner margin of mandible without a tooth or distinctly enlarged denticle at or near the midlength; labral lobes short, trigger hairs at apices of lobes long; outer margins of mandibles relatively straight; mandibles thick, with inner margin convex; close to the apical fork is a small preapical tooth, followed closely by 3-5 very small denticles; ground pilosity conspicuous and abundant, particularly on head; hairs on head spoon-shaped and reclining; in profile dorsal mesosoma with only a single pair of standing hairs (in addition to those at humeri), on mesonotum; first gastral sternite smooth. Also see Bolton (2000:193).
Similar species: subedentata, cascanteae, paniaguae, gundlachi, eggersi, trieces.
Natural History
Members of the genus are all predaceous, with a static pressure mode of attack (Bolton 1999).
At La Selva Biological Station, while night collecting in the arboretum, I found a nest under a barkflap at the base of a big Pithecellobium tree. I saw a worker carrying a collembolan prey item at the time of collection. Workers have been taken in Winkler and Berlese samples and a flight intercept trap at La Selva and at the 300 m site on the Barva transect in Braulio Carrillo National Park. A dealate queen was collected in a canopy fogging sample at La Selva.
Types
Holotype worker: Costa Rica: Heredia Prov., La Selva Biological Station (10¡26'N 84¡01'W), 50 m elevation, 28.X.1991, leg. J. Longino#3152, specimen code JTLC000007866 (INBC).
10 Paratypes (workers unless indicated): same data as holotype, JTLC000007867 (MCZC), INBIOCRI001224829 (LACM), JTLC000007869 (UCDC), INBIOCRI001224828 (BMNH), JTLC000007868 (USNM); dealate queen, same locality as holotype, 11.V.2000, leg. Project ALAS FOT/49/1-40, INBIOCRI002281849 (JTLC); Costa Rica: Heredia Prov., 11 km ESE La Virgen (10¡21'N 84¡03'W), 300 m elevation, 16.II.2004, leg. Project ALAS 03/B/BV/019, INB0003624227 (JTLC); same data but 15.III.2004, 03/B/BV/049, INB0003624223 (NMW); same data but 10.IV.2004, 03/WF/02/06, INB0003621500 (CASC); same data but 13.II.2004, 03/TN/03/003, INB0003619372 (INBC).
Description
Worker: With the characters of the P. gundlachi group, sensu Bolton (2000); inner margin of mandible evenly convex for nearly entire length; preapical mandibular dentition consisting of one small sharp tooth immediately proximal to apicodorsal tooth, followed by up to five minute denticles; eye with about 15 ommatidia; setae on leading edge of scape thicker apically but not broadly fan-shaped, first two setae (starting at base) strongly curving toward scape apex, next two strongly curving toward scape base, fifth curving toward scape apex; ground pilosity of clypeus, face, and promesonotum abundant, remiform, subdecumbent; dorsal face of propodeum and gastral dorsum lacking ground pilosity; katepisternum smooth and shiny, rest of mesosoma, head, petiole, and postpetiole punctate; metanotal groove not impressed, such that promesonotum and dorsal face of propodeum form single flat surface; gastral dorsum smooth and shiny with short, sparse basal costulae, plus variable extent of fine longitudinal striolation on basal fourth or less; pairs of stout clavate setae on sides of head at upper scrobe margin, upper face near vertex margin, pronotal humeri, mesonotum, and petiolar node; postpetiole and gaster with abundant stout clavate setae; color orange.
Measurements (holotype): ML 0.261, HL 0.506, HW 0.415, SL0.237, MeL 0.512.
Queen: Similar to worker in mandibular structure, surface sculpture, pilosity, and color; katepisternum smooth and shiny as in worker, rest of side of mesosoma punctate; gastral dorsum longitudinally striolate in basal fourth.
Measurements: ML 0.273, HL 0.522, HW 0.436, SL0.253, MeL 0.603.
Etymology
Named for Nelci Oconitrillo, Project ALAS Parataxonomist from 1994 to 2001.
Literature cited
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
Go back to top
