Pseudomyrmex rufomedius

Pseudomyrmex rufomedius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Pseudomyrmecinae
Genus:	Pseudomyrmex
Species:	P. rufomedius
Binomial name
Pseudomyrmex rufomedius (Smith, F., 1877) Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Pseudomyrma stolli Forel, 1912

Identification

Ward (1989) - Workers and queens possess a broad head with relatively small eyes; a flattened and laterally marginate pronotum; a more or less apendunculate petiole, much longer than high or wide, whose dorsal face is also flattened and laterally margined; very fine, pale, inconspicuous pilosity; and a bicolored body (orange petiole contrasting with dark brown head and gaster; remainder of body variably infuscated). An additional characteristic feature of the worker is the virtual obliteration of the metanotal groove, the mesonotum and propodeum forming a continuous, elevated, and laterally compressed plate.

Distribution

Known only from Guatemala and southern Mexico (Ward 1989).

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 19.052714° to 14.561111°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Guatemala (type locality), Mexico.

Distribution based on AntMaps

Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.

Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Specimen code casent0902925. .

Syntype of Pseudomyrma stolli. Worker. Specimen code casent0907565. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• rufomedius. Pseudomyrma rufomedia Smith, F. 1877b: 66 (q.) GUATEMALA. Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1956: 386. Senior synonym of stolli: Ward, 1989: 443. See also: Kempf, 1960a: 7.
• stolli. Pseudomyrma stolli Forel, 1912g: 20 (w.q.m.) GUATEMALA. Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kempf, 1972a: 224. Junior synonym of rufomedius: Ward, 1989: 443.

Type Material

Syntype alate queen (unique). Aceituno, Guatemala (The Natural History Museum) [Examined].

Pseudomyrma stolli Forel, 1912:20. Syntype worker, queens, male, Retalhuleu, Guatemala (Stoll) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève) [Examined].

The P. rufomedius type, although lacking a head, agrees closely with the worker-associated queens of P. stolli (and other material which I have examined), and there can be no doubt about the identity of the species (cf. Perrault, 1987).

References

• Kempf, W. W. 1960a. Estudo sôbre Pseudomyrmex I. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 9: 5-32 (page 7, see also)
• Smith, F. 1877b. Descriptions of new species of the genera Pseudomyrma and Tetraponera, belonging to the family Myrmicidae. Trans. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 1877: 57-72 (page 66, queen described)
• Ward, P. S. 1989a. Systematic studies on pseudomyrmecine ants: revision of the Pseudomyrmex oculatus and P. subtilissimus species groups, with taxonomic comments on other species. Quaest. Entomol. 25: 393-468 (page 443, Senior synonym of stolli)
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1956. The ant larvae of the subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 49: 374-398 (page 386, larva described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).