Nesomyrmex pleuriticus (Kempf, 1959)

Figs 25, 29

Leptothorax (Nesomyrmex) pleuriticus Kempf, 1959: 414. Syntype series (male, queen, worker): Guyana, Kartabo. [MCZC, MZSP]. (image examined, MZSP 87353, MZSP 87354).

Combination in Nesomyrmex: Bolton 2003: 272.

Worker measurements.

(n = 1) HL 0.61, HW 0.58, SL 0.50, ML 0.25, EL 0.15, PW 0.36, PTW 0.16, PPW 0.22, WL 0.77, PH 0.21, PTL 0.242, PTH 0.16, PPL 0.18, PPH 0.19, GL 0.64.

Geographic range.

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Surinam, Venezuela

Examined material.

Colombia • 1 worker; Vichada, Cumaribo, Cgto. Santa Rita, Parque Nacional Natural el Tuparro; 5.331667°N, 67.890833°W; 135 m a. s. l.; 08 Feb. 2004 – 10 Feb. 2004; I. Quintero; E. González legs.; Winkler; IAvH -E-79866 .

Natural history.

Foragers were collected on vegetation.

Comments.

This species can be distinguished from other ones by having a straight anterior margin of the pronotum, an opaque mesosoma with striate sculpture and imbricate microsculpture, a dorsum of the postpetiole with longitudinal striations, scapes and legs covered with long, erect hairs, and a smooth, shiny clypeus.

The previous records of N. pleuriticus for the tropical dry forest in Colombia are based on information recorded for the departments of Cauca (Chacón de Ulloa et al. 2014) and Valle del Cauca (Armbrecht et al. 2001, Chacón de Ulloa et al. 2012) but we were unable to analyze these specimens to confirm the taxonomic identity of these ants (see comments on N. vargasi).