Azteca lucida

Azteca lucida
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dolichoderinae
Tribe:	Leptomyrmecini
Genus:	Azteca
Species:	A. lucida
Binomial name
Azteca lucida Forel, 1899 Specimen Labels

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 16.75° to 16.75°.

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.

Biology

Explore Overview of Azteca biology  All known Azteca species are arboreal, nesting in living or dead wood, or external carton nests. Some species exhibit obligate associations with myrmecophytes, especially of the genus Cecropia (see Chapter 14 of The Ants). Feeding habits are generalized with foraging occurring both arboreally and on the ground. ‎

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Syntype of Azteca lucida. Worker. Specimen code casent0909589. Photographer Will Ericson, 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.

• lucida. Azteca alfaroi r. lucida Forel, 1899c: 113 (w.) GUATEMALA.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated).
  • [Note: Shattuck, 1994: 21, cites 4w syntypes MHNG.]
  • Type-locality: Guatemala: Pantaleon, 1700 ft (Champion).
  • Type-depository: MHNG.
  • Subspecies of alfari: Emery, 1913a: 31; Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 223; Kempf, 1972a: 29.
  • Status as species: Forel, 1912h: 51; Longino, 1989: 13; Brandão, 1991: 329; Shattuck, 1994: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 79; Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012: 253.
  • Distribution: Guatemala.

References

• Forel, A. 1899h. Formicidae. [part]. Biol. Cent.-Am. Hym. 3: 105-136 (page 113, soldier, worker described)
• Forel, A. 1912i. Formicides néotropiques. Part V. 4me sous-famille Dolichoderinae Forel. Mém. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 20: 33-58 (page 51, raised to species)
• Longino, J. T. 1989b. Taxonomy of the Cecropia-inhabiting ants in the Azteca alfari species group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): evidence for two broadly sympatric species. Contr. Sci. (Los Angel.) 412: 1-16 (page 13, revived status as species)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262 (page 223, subspecies of alfari)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Longino, J.T. 2010. Personal Communication. Longino Collection Database