Nesomyrmex vargasi
Nesomyrmex vargasi | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Crematogastrini |
Genus: | Nesomyrmex |
Species: | N. vargasi |
Binomial name | |
Nesomyrmex vargasi Longino, 2006 |
This species occurs in mid-elevation wet forest habitats. So far it is known only from the Volcan Barva transect in Braulio Carrillo National Park, from 1000 - 1100 m elevation. I collected a nest in a treefall gap, in the 1.25 cm diameter live stem of a melastome vine. It contained 32 workers, 1 dealate queen, and abundant brood of various sizes. One specimen was collected in a Project ALAS sweep sample. Workers have been collected as foragers on low vegetation. (Longino 2006)
Identification
Longino (2006) - This species keys to Nesomyrmex pleuriticus in Kempf (1959). The two species have a parapatric distribution on the Barva Transect in Braulio Carrillo National Park, N. pleuriticus occurring at La Selva Biological Station and the 500 m site, N. vargasi occurring around the 1100 m site. Nesomyrmex vargasi differs from N. pleuriticus in the much smoother and shinier surface sculpture.
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 10.33333° to 10.26666667°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (type locality).
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
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- vargasi. Nesomyrmex vargasi Longino, 2006b: 136, figs. 11, 12 (w.q.) COSTA RICA.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Holotype: HL 0.764, HW 0.722, SL 0.603, MeL 0.938.
Antenna 11-segmented; eye with about 11 ommatidia across greatest diameter; mandible smooth and shiny to weakly striate; all surfaces of body shiny; generally smooth and polished except for about 5 longitudinal rugae between eye and antennal insertion, about 6 longitudinal rugae on promesonotum, a few longitudinal rugulae on dorsal face of propodeum, about 3 longitudinal rugae on ventral half of side of pronotum, irregular rugulae on katepisternum and side of propodeum, about 4 longitudinal rugae on side and dorsum of petiole; side and dorsum of pronotum flat, meeting at carinate right angle; propodeal spiracles large, horizontal, opening dorsally; inferior propodeal lobes large, produced as an acute but rounded angle; anteroventral margin of petiole with acute, ventrally-directed tooth; scapes with abundant erect setae, these shorter than maximum width of scape, and with abundant underlying suberect pubescence; face with abundant short erect setae, these about as long as setae on scapes; in full face view abundant short suberect setae projecting from sides of head and margin of vertex; mesosomal and petiolar dorsa with abundant flexuous setae, these longer than those on face, longest about as long as propodeal spines; postpetiole, gastral dorsum, femora, and tibiae with abundant erect setae, these about as long as those on scapes and face; color red brown.
Type Material
Holotype worker: Costa Rica: Heredia Prov., 15 km SSE La Virgen (10° 17' N, 84° 05' W), 1000 m elevation, 12.VII. 1986, leg. J. Longino#1365, specimen code INBIOCRI0 02281227 (Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad). Paratypes: 1 worker and 1 dealate queen on same pin, same data as holotype, specimen (pin) code INBIOCRI002 281 28 (John T. Longino Collection); 2 5 workers, same data as holotype but 9.VII.1986, leg. J. Longino#1380-s, JTLC000008515 (Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History), JTLC00000 8516 (Museum of Comparative Zoology), JTLC000008517 (University of California, Davis), JT LC000008518 (California Academy of Sciences), JTLC000008519 (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna); 1 worker, Costa Rica: Heredia Prov., 16 km SSE La Virgen (10°16' N 84°05' W), 1100 m elevation, leg. R. Vargas C. 11/RG/RVC/009, INB0003225385 (INBC); 1 worker, same data but 15 - 17.XI.2000, leg. J. Longino#4365-s, INBIOCR I0022 82019 (National Museum of Natural History); 1 worker same data but 11.II.2001, leg. J. Longino#4385-s, LACM ENT 144699 (The Natural History Museum).
Etymology
Named for Ronald Vargas C., ALAS Parataxonomist from 1992 to 2005.
References
- Longino, J.T. 2006. New species and nomenclatural changes for the Costa Rican ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecologische Nachrichten. 8:131–143.
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Longino J. T. 2006. New species and nomenclatural changes for the Costa Rican ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecologische Nachrichten 8: 131-143.
- Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/