Myrmicinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Images of queen: face view, lateral view.
Range
Costa Rica: Atlantic lowlands to 600m.
Identification
Petiole with long peduncle and non-quadrate node; propodeal spines long; mesosoma elongate; gaster lacking erect setae (the queen has setae on the gaster).
Natural History
This species inhabits the canopy of lowland rainforest. I have collected it only at La Selva Biological Station and at the old Carrillo station in Braulio Carrillo National Park. Collections have mostly been strays in treefalls or specimens in canopy fogging samples.
I have seen one nest. It was at La Selva, where the "swamp trail" crosses the El Salto. The nest was on the undersurface of a single leaf of a fuzzy-leaved Guarea growing along the stream. A 2cm long carton roof covered a portion of the leaf between two veins (figure). The carton was felt-like. The nest contained 27 adult workers, one dealate queen, four adult males, and brood of various sizes.
On another occasion I was collecting in a patch of old second growth forest, medium to large trees over abandoned cacao, that was being felled for an experiment at La Selva. I found a dense aggregation of workers and two dealate queens on a branch of a felled Coussapoa.
I have collected alate queens at lights at La Selva.
Comments
Even though relatively common at La Selva, I am quite sure this is an undescribed species. The elongate mesosoma and elongate petiolar peduncle are not typical for Wasmannia.
Page author:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
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