Smithistruma stauroma Bolton manuscript name

Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia

John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu

4 March 1997

Identification

Color red-brown to black; 6-segmented antenna; face punctate; sides of posterior half of mesosoma completely and densely punctulate; ventral petiolar appendages entirely obsolete or present as very fine cariniform vestiges; infradental lamellae vestigial or narrow and concave; gaster with 0-4 filiform (not spoon-shaped) erect setae; face and mesosoma covered with short, stiff, erect setae (stubble); surface of face granular and roughly tuberculate. It is very similar to two other species of Smithistruma: microthrix and cassicuspis. The former has no stubble. The latter has the face surface finely granular (not shining), but not tuberculate.

Geography

Costa Rica. Known from two sifted litter samples from Penas Blancas (800m) and one litter/soil core from La Selva.

Natural History

Inhabits wet forest leaf litter. Presumed predaceous.

How to collect

Sift litter from mature wet forest floor and extract in Berlese funnel or Winkler bag.

Page author: John T. Longino longinoj@evergreen.edu

Last modified: 03/04/1997