A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical myrmicine ant genus Lachnomyrmex Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Author
Feitosa, Rodrigo M.
Author
Brandão, Carlos Roberto F.
text
Zootaxa
2008
1890
1
49
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.184304
fe0befe7-de27-4b06-b1ea-0f7f79b6b024
1175-5326
184304
Lachnomyrmex laticeps
Feitosa & Brandão
,
new species
Figures 6
,
18
Holotype
worker.
COSTA RICA
: Heredia
: 13Km NE Vara Blanca,
10º16'N
84º05'W
,
15.ii.2001
, R. Vargas col., no. INBIOCRI0003622583 [
INBC
].
Paratypes
.
same data as
holotype
, no. INBIOCRI0003622582 (
1 worker
) [
MZSP
]; same data, no. INBIOCRI0003622585 (
1 worker
) [
INBC
].
COSTA RICA
: Alajuela
: Peñas Blancas, Refugio Eladio,
10º19'N
84º43'W
,
800m
,
7.iii.2006
, J. Longino col., no.
JTLC
000008160 (
1 worker
) [
MZSP
]; same data, no.
JTLC
000008161 (
1 worker
) [
CASC
];
Heredia
:
16km
SSE La Virgen,
1050–1150m
,
10º16'N
84º05'W
,
17.iii.2001
, INBIO-OET-ALAS transect, no. INB0003214022 (
1 worker
) [
USNM
]; P.N. Braulio Carrillo,
10º20'N
84º02'W
,
500m
,
17.x.2005
, TEAM-OET, no. INB0003679758 (
1 worker
) [
BMNH
].
Worker diagnosis.
Pilosity exceptionally dense on body, including the first tergite of gaster; vertexal margin of head considerably broad (HW> 0,73mm); metanotal groove shallow and broadly impressed, without a well definite posterior limit.
Holotype
measurements.
HL 0.83; HW 0.82; ML 0.30; SL 0.52; EL 0.14; WL 0.99; PSL 0.24; PL 0.42; PPL 0.21; GL 1.10; TL 3.86; CI 98; SI 63; OI 17.
Worker measurements
(n=2). HL 0.77–0.83; HW 0.74–0.79; ML 0.29–0.30; SL 0.52; EL 0.12–0.13; WL 0.94–0.98; PSL 0.22–0.24; PL 0.39; PPL 0.20–0.22; GL 1.07; TL 3.69–3.78; CI 94–96; SI 66–70; OI 16.
Worker description.
Color reddish to dark brown, with lighter appendages. Body finely and densely covered by vermiculate rugae, somewhat longer and longitudinal on cephalic dorsum, and slightly sparser on mesopleura and lateral surfaces of propodeum; mandibles with short striae restricted to basal portion; petiole and postpetiole strongly and irregularly rugose. Pilosity extremely abundant, except by dorsal surface of propodeum; dorsum of petiolar node and postpetiole and first gastral tergite densely covered by long flexuous hairs.
FIGURE 6.
Holotype worker of
Lachnomyrmex laticeps
from Heredia, Costa Rica: A, head in full face view; B, lateral view. Image by John Longino, specimen INBIOCRI0003622583.
Head visibly longer than broad, with vertexal margin virtually flat and considerably broad; frontal lobes rounded laterally; eyes with about seven facets on maximum diameter. Promesonotum strongly convex in profile; metanotal groove broadly impressed, without a distinct posterior limit; propodeal spines straight to discretely directed upwards; teeth of propodeal lobes well developed, surpassing propodeal spines half-length. Petiolar node elevated and subtriangular in lateral view; postpetiole dorsally convex and with sternite somewhat projected.
Gyne.
Unknown.
Etymology.
The name refers to the broad vertexal border of the workers head. From Latin:
latus
: broad,
ceps
: head.
Comments.
The excessively dense body pilosity and the dorsally flat head separate this species from the related
Lachnomyrmex grandis
and
L. pilosus
. The collections of
L. laticeps
so far were made during expeditions to
500–1100m
mature wet forests in northern
Costa Rica
. There is a record of workers collected manually beneath a treefern trunk (
Longino 2007
). John Longino found a
L. laticeps
nest in a clay bank above a small stream, at Refugio Eladio,
800m
elevation in the Peñas Blancas river valley. There was a small flaskshaped entrance structure leading to a small chamber. The chamber contained a few workers only, no brood or sexuals (pictures in Longino
op. cit
.).