Myrmicinae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Additional images: syntype worker bruchi Santschi (click here); syntype queen, male weiseri Forel (click here).
Range
Argentina.
Identification
Petiolar node rounded, with sloping anterior and posterior faces, and without sharply differentiated dorsal face; antennal scrobe narrow, not extending to side of head, ventral margin defined by preocular carina that runs from dorsal margin of eye to margin of vertex; side of head posterior to eye dorsoventrally rounded, not angulate; face between frontal carinae with about 12 distinct longitudinal striae overlaying strong punctate sculpture; propodeal spiracle small, diameter less than width of base of propodeal spine; head width less than 0.50mm; longitudinal striae on face very regular to margin of vertex; color yellow red; posterior face of petiole rounded, anterior face slightly angulate.
Similar species: williamsoni.
Comments
Wasmannia sulcaticeps and williamsoni are two related species that occur at the far southern limit of the genus, in Argentina. They are both distinguished from other members of the genus by the heavy striate sculpture on the face and by the very small propodeal spiracle.
Kusnezov (1952) described the Wasmannia fauna of Argentina, and sulcaticeps and williamsoni were described as having an allopatric distribution. Wasmannia sulcaticeps occurred in more humid environments near Buenos Aires and in the northern provinces of Tucum‡n, Salta, and Jujuy. Wasmannia williamsoni occurred in the more arid habitats west of Buenos Aires. Kusnezov did not mention var. weiseri Forel 1914. Its type locality is between the ranges of sulcaticeps and williamsoni shown on his distribution map. Forel's description of weiseri noted only minor differences from sulcaticeps, and it was synonymized with sulcaticeps by Longino and Fernandez (2007).
Literature Cited
Emery, C. 1894. Studi sulle formiche della fauna neotropica. VI-XVI. Bullettino della Societˆ Entomologica Italiana 26:137-241.
Forel, A. 1914. Formicides d'Afrique et d'AmŽrique nouveaux ou peu connus. Bulletin de la SociŽtŽ Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 50:211-288.
Kusnezov, N. 1952 ("1951"). El gŽnero Wasmannia en la Argentina (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Acta Zoologica Lilloana 10:173-182.
Longino, J. T., and F. Fern‡ndez C. 2007. A taxonomic review of the genus Wasmannia. Pages 271-289 in R. R. Snelling, B. L. Fisher, and P. S. Ward, editors. Advances In Ant Systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Homage To E. O. Wilson Ð 50 Years Of Contributions. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, 80.
Page authors:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
Fernando Fern‡ndez, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Apartado 7495, Bogot‡ D.C., COLOMBIA
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