Adelomyrmex microps Fernández

Longino, John T., 2012, A review of the ant genus Adelomyrmex Emery 1897 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Central America, Zootaxa 3456, pp. 1-35 : 24

Adelomyrmex microps Fernández in Fernández & MacKay, 2003

Figure 5 , 21

Adelomyrmex microps Eernández ȋn Eernández & ΜacΚay̓ 2ΟΟ3∶ 6Ο2̓ fȋg· 8C· Hο1οtype wοrker∶ Cοsta Rȋca̓ Heredȋa∶ Estacȋόn Βȋο1όgȋca La Se1va̓ ₁Ο°26'N 8₄°Ο₁'W̓ 5Ο﹣₁5Ο m̓ ₁ Οct ₁993 (Prοϳect ALAS Β∕Ο₄∕2₄6) [specȋmen cοde INBIOCRI001266263] [INBio] (examined). See also: Fernández, 2003: 23.

Geographic range. Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica.

Biology. Adelomyrmex microps occurs in lowland rainforest and is extremely rare. It is currently known from 13 specimens. Ten of those are from La Selva Biological Station, from eight different Berlese and MiniWinkler samples (far less than 1% of samples). The LLAMA project collected a specimen in a MiniWinkler sample from a 280 m elevation site near La Ceiba, Honduras, and two in MiniWinkler samples from 310 m elevation on Cerro Saslaya, Nicaragua.

Comments. Adelomyrmex microps is a lowland version of A. laevigatus , differing in lighter color, less robust sculpture, and denser, longer pilosity. Additional material shows that the key characters used in Fernández and Mackay (2003) will not separate the species: both usually have smooth shiny areas on the side of the pronotum and stout hypostomal teeth. Ommatidial count is variable. One specimen from Costa Rica (La Selva Biological Station), currently considered a nanitic or aberration, has short, sparse, completely appressed pilosity on the face and gaster, and the overall sculpture is feeble. The specimen from Honduras has several longitudinal rugae on the side of the pronotum instead of a smooth patch.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Profile of (A) Adelomyrmex laevigatus and (B) A. microps.

FIGURE 21. Distribution of material examined in this study: Adelomyrmex anxiocalor sp. nov., A. betoi, A. bispeculum sp. nov., A. brenesi, A. laevigatus, A. mackayi, A. marginodus sp. nov., A. metzabok sp. nov., A. micans, A. microps, A. minimus, A. paratristani sp. nov., A. quetzal sp. nov., A. tristani.