Brandão, 2003 : 155
Megalomyrmex
Adams et al . 2000 : 549
A taxonomic review of the ant genus Megalomyrmex Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Central America
Longino, John T.
Zootaxa
2010
2720
35
58
Brandão, 2003 : 155
Brandao
Brandao
[151,550,1827,1852]
Insecta
Formicidae
Megalomyrmex
Animalia
Hymenoptera
21
56
Arthropoda
species
wettereri
Megalomyrmex wettereri Brandão, 2003: 155, figs 1–4. Holotypeworker: La Selva, 10°26'N 84°01'W, 50–150 m, Heredia Prov., Costa Rica, 2 Mar 1993(Wetterer) [MCZ] ( paratypesexamined). Paratypequeen: km 7 of El Llano Carti Suitupo Road, Panama, 7 Jun 1998(U. Mueller 980607–01) [MZSP] (not examined). Megalomyrmex sp. nov.: Adams et al. 2000: 549–554.
Measurements. Worker: HW 0.523, HL 0.588, SL 0.497, EL 0.076, ML 0.817, CI 89, SI 85 (n=1, present study, from same nest series as holotype). Geographic range. Costa Rica, Panama.
Biology. Megalomyrmex wettereriis known from two lowland rainforest sites: Barro Colorado Island in Panamaand La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. Observations from Barro Colorado were the subject of Adams et al.(2000). Colonies of M. wettereriwere found occupying abandoned nests of Cyphomyrmex longiscapusWeber. Thefungus gardens of the CyphomyrmexMayrwere intact and the Megalomyrmexworkers were observed feeding on the fungal symbiont. When lab colonies of M. wettereriwere placed in contact with colonies of C. longiscapus, the M. wettereriaggressively attacked, killing the adult workers. When presented with Cyphomyrmexlarvae, they stripped them of their fungal coating and fed them to their own larvae. Adams et al.concluded that M. wettereriwas an "agro-predator," raiding Cyphomyrmexcolonies en masse, displacing the Cyphomyrmexworkers, and feeding on the remaining brood and fungi. The holotypeseries was a colony collected by Jim Wetterer at La Selva. He found the colony inhabiting a nest of Trachymyrmex cornetzi(Forel)( Brandão 2003 identified the attine as T. bugnioni(Forel); I identify this common La Selva attine as T. cornetzi).