Azteca aurita race pilosula Forel A. aurita Emery Azteca lacrymosa Forel A. aurita Emery A taxonomic review of the genus Azteca (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Costa Rica and a global revision of the aurita group. Longino, J. T. Zootaxa 2007 1491 1 63 urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:224602 Insecta Formicidae Azteca CoL Animalia Azteca aurita pilosula Forel Hymenoptera 57 Arthropoda species pilosula  Figures 2,3,4A.   Azteca aurita race pilosula Forel1899:115.  Syntypequeens: Costa Rica( Tonduz); and  Panama, Bugaba( Champion) [ MHNG, MCZC](examined, 1 MHNGCosta Rican queen here designated LECTOTYPE). Incorrect synonymy under A. aurita Emery: Forel 1912:54.  Azteca lacrymosa Forel1899:116 (part).  Syntypeworkers: Costa Rica( Tonduz); and Colombia, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Hac. la Esperanza (Lallemand, Forel) [ MHNG, MCZC] (examined; MHNGCosta 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 pilosulanests 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. pilosulaand the workers as A. lacrymosa. Forel later synonymized both under A. aurita. However, A. pilosulaand A. auritaare distinct. The queen of A. pilosulahas short, white, dense setae on all head margins, appendages, and dorsa of mesosoma, petiole, and gaster. Azteca auritahas 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]. 923890701 MHNG Tonduz Costa Rica Costa Rica Syntype, Lectotype 923890700 MCZC Champion Panama Bugaba Syntype 923890699 MHNG Tonduz Costa Rica Costa Rica Syntype, Lectotype 923890725 1980-06-28 J. Longino COSTA RICA 8.483334 Sirena, Corcovado National Park, 5 m -83.6 Puntarenas 923890711 1911-11-18 MCZC W. M. Wheeler PANAMA 9.233334 Monte Lirio -79.25 Canal Zone