Azteca aurita Emery

Longino, J. T., 2007, A taxonomic review of the genus Azteca (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Costa Rica and a global revision of the aurita group., Zootaxa 1491, pp. 1-63 : 55-56

Azteca aurita Emery 1893

Azteca aurita Emery 1893:346. Holotype queen: Brazil, Pará, Braganza ( Oberthür) [ MCSN] (examined).

Azteca lacrymosa Forel 1899:116 (part). Syntype workers: Costa Rica (Tonduz); and Colombia, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Hac. la Esperanza (Lallemand, Forel) [ MHNG, MCZC] (examined; Costa Rican series is A. pilosula , Colombian series is A. aurita ). Incorrect synonymy under A. aurita Emery : Forel 1906:237.

Azteca lacrymosa race silvae Forel 1899:116. Syntype workers: Brazil, Amazonas, Pará ( Göldi) [ MHNG, MCZC] (examined). NEW SYNONYMY

Azteca aurita r. silvae Forel : Forel 1906:237.

Queen characters. Measurements (n=2): HLA 1.28 (1.25-1.30), HW 1.11 (1.10-1.11), SL 1.21 (1.18-1.24), CI 87 (85-88), SI 95 (94-95).

Palpal formula 4,3; middle and hind tibia lacking apical spur; mandible strongly flattened, apical tooth much longer than penultimate tooth; 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; scape, mandible, lateral margin of head anterior to compound eye, and legs covered with uniform vestiture of short, dense, white pilosity; lateral margin of head posterior to eye, posterior margin of head, mesosomal dorsum, petiolar dorsum, and gaster lacking erect setae; entire body orange, with smooth, highly polished and reflective surface.

Worker characters. Measurements (n=2): HLA 1.22 (1.11-1.32), HW 1.21 (1.11-1.30), SL 1.11 (1.03- 1.19), CI 99 (98-100), SI 92 (90-93).

Currently indistinguishable from A. pilosula .

Range. Brazil, Colombia.

Additional material examined. BRAZIL: Pará: Santarem - worker [ MHNG] ; Pará (W. M. Mann) [ LACM] ; COLOMBIA: no specific locality (Santschi coll.) - queen [ NHMB] ; Magdalena: Esperanza (Forel) - workers, headless queen [ MHNG] [ A. lacrymosa syntypes] .