Specimen: Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela: Rio Penas Blancas, 800m (J. Longino 2529-s). INBIOCRI001281413. Image by J. Longino.

Identification

Apical fork of mandible small, with two tiny intercalary denticles (figure above); mandibles thick with distinctly convex inner margins; each inner mandibular margin with three small, acute, subequal teeth spaced out along its apical third; ground pilosity nearly obsolete (in contrast to subedentata).

Head length 0.58mm, mandible length 0.28, CI 78, MI 48 (n=1 worker; Brown 1960).

Similar species: gundlachi, subedentata, eggersi.

Range

Costa Rica (Atlantic slope to 1000m).

Natural History

Brown and Wilson (1959) summarize the genus as follows:

"Widespread in tropics and warm temperate areas. Primarily forest-dwelling; some species occur in grassland and arid scrub. ... Nests mostly in soil and rotting wood; a few species live in arboreal plant cavities in tropical rain forest. Foraging hypogaeic to epigaeic-arboreal. Food: most species are collembolan feeders; a few are polyphagous predators or occasionally feed on sugary substances..."

Strumigenys trieces occurs in mature wet forest habitats. It nests in dead wood on the forest floor. Workers forage in the leaf litter.

Specimen: Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela: Rio Penas Blancas, 800m (J. Longino 2529-s). INBIOCRI001281413. Image by J. Longino.

Face view of worker and, magnified at lower right, anterior view of apical fork of mandible. Drawing based on Brown (1960, 1962).