Azteca pilosula Forel, 2007

Longino, J. T., 2007, A taxonomic review of the genus Azteca (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Costa Rica and a global revision of the aurita group., Zootaxa 1491, pp. 1-63 : 57-58

Azteca pilosula Forel 1899 new status

Figures 2,3,4A.

Azteca aurita race pilosula Forel 1899:115. Syntype queens: Costa Rica (Tonduz) ; and Panama, Bugaba (Champion) [ MHNG, MCZC] (examined, 1 MHNG Costa Rican queen here designated LECTOTYPE). Incorrect synonymy under A. aurita Emery : Forel 1912:54.

Azteca lacrymosa Forel 1899:116 (part). Syntype workers: Costa Rica (Tonduz) ; and Colombia, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Hac. la Esperanza (Lallemand, Forel) [ MHNG, MCZC] (examined; MHNG Costa Rican worker here designated LECTOTYPE). Incorrect synonymy under A. aurita Emery : Forel 1906:237. NEW SYNONYMY

Queen characters. Measurements (n=2): HLA 1.32 (1.31-1.34), HW 1.19 (1.18-1.19), SL 1.27 (1.24-1.30), CI 90 (89-90), SI 96 (92-99).

Palpal formula 4,3; middle and hind tibia lacking apical spur; mandible strongly flattened, apical tooth much longer than penultimate tooth, dorsal surface shiny, smooth basally, with elongate puncta and grooves near masticatory margin, densely covered with suberect setae; medial clypeal lobe strongly convex and protruding, extending well beyond lateral clypeal lobes; head quadrate, sides flat and diverging posteriorly, posterior margin strongly angulate laterally, deeply excavate medially; petiolar node short, broadly triangular; posteroventral petiolar lobe very low, hardly developed; almost entire body -scape, flagellum, mandible, margins and dorsum of head, mesosoma, legs, petiole, and gaster -covered with uniform vestiture of short, dense, white pilosity, somewhat sparser on gastral terga; entire body orange, with smooth, highly polished and reflective surface.

Worker characters. Measurements (n=2): HLA 1.35 (1.26-1.45), HW 1.39 (1.26-1.52), SL 1.07 (0.92- 1.22), CI 103 (100-105), SI 79 (73-84).

Palpal formula 4,3; middle and hind tibia lacking apical spur; mandible strongly flattened, apical tooth much longer than penultimate tooth, dorsal surface with longitudinal, finely acicular sculpture, dull; medial clypeal lobe strongly convex and protruding, extending well beyond lateral clypeal lobes; head with moderately convex sides, subangulate posterolateral margins, posterior margin in the form of a shallow "V;" in lateral profile pronotum gently sloping and weakly convex, mesonotum more strongly convex and with profile asymmetrical, with highest point shifted forward, long sloping posterior face dropping to depressed basal face of propodeum; scape, tibiae, and mesosoma with dense white pubescence but no erect setae; side of head with no erect setae, posterior margin with sparse, very short erect setae grading into white pubescence; petiolar node with rim of white pubescence, about 6 longer erect setae on anterior face and apex, posteroventral margin with dense erect pubescence; head clear orange brown, mesosoma, legs, and gaster darker red brown.

Range. Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia.

Biology. Azteca pilosula nests in large exposed carton nests. The Tonduz collection from Costa Rican was an "arboreal nest," and Forel's Colombian collection was from a large carton nest. In Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica I found a large carton nest on a horizontal log over a trail. Workers from this nest were tending scale insects on the spathe of a nearby aroid.

Comments. Tonduz's Costa Rican collection was most likely a single nest series, the queens of which were described as A. pilosula and the workers as A. lacrymosa . Forel later synonymized both under A. aurita . However, A. pilosula and A. aurita are distinct. The queen of A. pilosula has short, white, dense setae on all head margins, appendages, and dorsa of mesosoma, petiole, and gaster. Azteca aurita has similar short dense pilosity on the appendages and anterior head, but lacks it on the posterior and posterolateral margins of head and the dorsa of mesosoma, petiole, and gaster.

Additional material examined. COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: Sirena, Corcovado National Park , 8°29'N, 83°36W, 5m , 28 Jun 1980 (J. Longino) - workers ; PANAMA: Canal Zone: Monte Lirio [9°14'N, 79°15W], 18 Nov 1911 (W. M. Wheeler) - workers [ MCZC] .