Phylogenomic Species Delimitation, Taxonomy, and ‘ Bird Guide’ Identification for the Neotropical Ant Genus Rasopone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Longino, John T.
Branstetter, Michael G.
Insect Systematics and Diversity
2020
2020-03-31
4
2
1
1
33
Longino & Branstetter, 2020
[146,406,1149,1172]
Insecta
Formicidae
Rasopone
GBIF
Animalia
Hymenoptera
21
22
Arthropoda
species
cryptergates
sp. nov.
( Fig. 7; Supp Figs. S8and S 9[online only]) (Zoobank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FFE0F396-AC3E-46B5- A78F-B0786CBE44DE)
HOLOTYPE: 1 alate queen, Costa Rica, Heredia: La Selva Biological Station, 10.43748 −84.01381± 20 m, 50 m, 9-iii-2004, lowland rainforest, ALAS, M/25/787 [UCR, unique specimen identifier JTLC000008527]. PARATYPES: same data as holotype except 10.41745 −84.01627± 20 m, 50 m, 2-ii-2005, mature wet forest, ex sifted leaf litter, TEAM, AMI-1-W-022-06 [ 1 worker, CAS, INB0003660648]; 10.42519 −84.00399± 20 m, 50 m, 18-v-1993, light trap, ALAS, L/02/038 [1 alate queen, MCZC, INBIOCRI001276551; 1 alate queen, UCD, INBIOCRI001276552]; 10.43333 −84.01667± 2 km, 50 m, 1-ix-2003, wet forest, H. A. Hespenheide[1 alate queen, USNM, JTLC000005546].
Geographic range. Costa Rica.
Diagnosis Lowland; mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head with a few inconspicuous short setae; posterior margin of head in face view flat, posterolateral margins subangulate; petiole nearly cuboidal. Two species are within size and geographic range of R. cryptergates: Rasopone costaricensis( Fig. 9; Supp Figs. S3and S 4[online only]): montane; petiolar node more scale-like; posterolateral margins of head more rounded. RasoponeMAS010 ( Fig. 7; Supp Fig. S47 [online only]): montane; side of head bare; posterolateral margins of vertex somewhat more rounded.
Measurements, worker:HW 1.07, HL 1.25, SL 0.84, PTL 0.47, PTH 0.82, CI 86, SI 79, PTI 57 ( n= 1). Measurements, queen:HW 1.16 (1.10–1.23, 9); HL 1.37 (1.28– 1.46, 9); SL 1.10 (1.06–1.13, 2); PTH 0.81 (0.76–0.92, 5); PTL 0.48 (0.44–0.55, 5); CI 85 (81–87, 9); SI 93 (92–94, 2); PTI 59 (57–60, 5).
Biology This species occurs in lowland rainforest, from sea level to about 500 melevation. Only one worker is known, from a Winkler sample of forest floor litter and rotten wood. Multiple alate queens are known, from Malaise traps, flight intercept traps, and light traps. One alate queen is from a Berlese sample of litter and soil; it is possible the queen was a contaminant, attracted to the light bulb of the Berlese funnel. The queen records are from the months of January, February, March, May, and September.
Comments There has been intensive Winkler sampling at La Selva Biological Station, and workers of the smaller species R. pluviselvaoccur moderately frequently in these samples, yet only one worker of R. cryptergateshas been discovered.The alate queens are the reverse, with moderately abundant queens of R. cryptergates, and a single alate queen of R. pluviselva. Dealate queens of R. pluviselvaoccur occasionally in Winkler samples. It is possible that R. cryptergatesis more subterranean than R. pluviselva, and workers hardly ever forage in the litter. Alternatively, R. cryptergatesmay prefer open habitats such as pastures and lawns, and thus be more abundant in the agricultural landscape adjoining La Selva. Rasopone cryptergatesmay produce more abundant alate queens, or queens that fly greater distances or higher above the ground. In contrast, R. pluviselvamay rely on fewer or less vagile queens that fly close to the ground, rarely being captured by Malaise or light traps. UCE and COI data are available for the single worker specimen, placing it in a clade with three other species known only from Panama. However, the worker was associated with the queens based on morphology alone: the cuboidal shape of the petiolar node and matching size. There are currently no genetic data definitively associating the sequenced worker with the holotypequeen, so future confirmation is warranted.
2618791336
2004-03-09
ALAS
Costa Rica
0
10.43748
La Selva Biological Station
28
-84.01381
21
22
JTLC000008527
1
Heredia
holotype
2618791337
2005-02-02
TEAM, CAS
Costa Rica
0
10.41745
La Selva Biological Station
28
-84.01627
21
22
AMI-1, INB0003660648
1
1
Heredia
paratype
2618791312
1993-05-18
ALAS, MCZC, UCD
Costa Rica
0
10.42519
28
-84.00399
21
22
INBIOCRI001276551, INBIOCRI001276552
1
Heredia
paratype
2618791310
2003-09-01
USNM
H. A. Hespenheide
Costa Rica
50
10.43333
3
-84.01667
21
22
JTLC000005546
1
Heredia
paratype