Megalomyrmex foreli Emery, 1890:46-47 Forel, 1899:57-58 Megalomyrmex latreillei Emery, 1890:47 Brandão, 1990:436 Megalomyrmex M. foreli M. latreillei M. foreli M. latreillei M. foreli Further Revisionary Studies On The Ant Genus Megalomyrmex Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Solenopsidini) C R F. B Abstract Brandão, Carlos Roberto F. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 2003 São Paulo 2003-12-31 43 8 145 159 6QW4C Emery, 1890 Emery. A 1890 [178,559,1184,1209] Insecta Formicidae Megalomyrmex Animalia Hymenoptera 7 152 Arthropoda species foreli      Megalomyrmex foreli Emery, 1890:46-47, pl. 5, fig. 3, worker. TypeLocality: Jimenez, Limón, Costa Rica( 10°13’N, 83°43’W).  Forel, 1899:57-58, male.     Megalomyrmex latreillei Emery, 1890:47, pl. 5, fig. 4, worker. TypeLocality: probably San Antonio de Cumbasa (see Brandão, 1990), San Martin, Peru( 06°21’N, 76°19’W).  Brandão, 1990:436, male. Nov. Syn. I. Zelner-Polania sent me for study three samples of  Megalomyrmexof the Leoninus group from localities in Colombiathat fill the gap in the known distribution of  M. foreliand  M. latreillei. These are: one workerfrom Caño La Curia, 580 m, Reserva Nacional La Macarena ( 02°45’S, 73°55’W), Meta province, collected by F. Fernández, two workerscollected at the banks of Rio Guayuriba, Meta province, by Richter in December, 1950 to January, 1951, 500-700 m( 03°55’S, 73°05’W), and six workersfrom Doncello, collected by Zelner-Polania in February, 1991. These samples are intermediate in all characters I thought could separate  M. forelifrom  M. latreillei, including color pattern; therefore, I propose the synonymy of the former un- der  M. foreli. The resulting taxon is very variable in character states otherwise constant in the genus, as the postpetiolar ventral process that, in certain localities (particularly in Colombia), can be strongly produced into a long and thin spine, lacking or completely worn out in specimens from other places, although the anteroventral margin of the postpetiole in this case is always sharp. This process wears out with age, leaving only a scar.  In these specimens, the gasters are concolorous with the rest of the body. The gaster is often darker in this species. Specimens from Costa Ricaand Ecuador(limits of the known species distribution) are lighter in color than those from Colombiaand Brazil( Acre).   From IHVL, I received two samples of  M. forelifrom Caquetá, Colombia: two workersfrom San José del Fragua, R. Turayaco,  1000 m, collected in tuna baits in  September 1 to 8, 2000 by E.L.G., and four workersfrom Parque Nacional Picachua( 02°47’51”S, 74°61’18”W),  1500 mcollected manually by F. Escobarand E. Gonzales(no. 5), in  November 18, 1997.  I examined also a worker of  M. forelicollected by L.A. T. de Alonso( LET # 828) with ground tuna bait in primary forest in Jatun Sacha, Napo Provincein Ecuador in  January 26, 1994, and two workerscollected by J. Longino, in February,  26, 1981 inRio Niño(  300 m) ( 08°31’S, 83°38’W), Osa Peninsula, Corcovado, Costa Rica. From J. Delabie I received a worker ( CEPLAC# 991) collected in Darien, Cerro Pirre, Panama, in August 26 to 30, 1991by R. Ruiz. It is clearly a member of the Leoninus group.  Megalomyrmex foreliis the only species in the Leoninus group that probably occurs in Panama, although I have samples only from Costa Ricaand Colombiaand not from Panamaitself. This particular specimen, although too small in relation to all other samples of  M. forelistudied so far, shows the color pattern of the Costa Rican samples of  M. foreli, but lacks an anteroventral process of the postpetiole. As I have seen only one specimen, I refrain to describe it as a new species for the time being, hoping to study more material of the Leoninus group from Panama.  Jones et al.(1999)studied the venom alkaloids of  M. foreli(=  M. latreillei) workers collected in Garza Cocha-Añyagu, 175 kmeastern of Coca, Provincia de Sucumbios Ecuadorin August 12,199 4. I have not studied this material. The locality record “Colombiana Farm” in Brandão (1990)is in the Alajuela province, and not in Santa Clara, as stated. 2000-09-01 2000-09-08 2000-09-01 IHVL, R Colombia Turayaco 1000 From San Jose del Fragua 7 152 2 2 Caqueta 1997-11-18 F. Escobar & E. Gonzales Colombia 1500 -2.7975 Parque Nacional Picachua 7 152 4 4 Caqueta T de Alonso Ecuador Jatun Sacha 7 152 LET # 828 1 Napo 1994-01-26 J. Longino & February Costa Rica 300 -8.516666 Osa Peninsula 1301 -83.63333 Corcovado 7 152 2 2