Megalomyrmex poatan Brandão, 1991

Brandão, Carlos Roberto F., 2003, Further Revisionary Studies On The Ant Genus Megalomyrmex Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Solenopsidini) C R F. B Abstract, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo) 43 (8), pp. 145-159 : 154

Megalomyrmex poatan Brandão, 1991

Megalomyrmex poatan was described from a unique worker recovered from a leaf litter sample collected in San Pedro de la Sierra, Magdalena, Colombia submitted to Berlese.I received from the MCZ a second sample of this species, including 12 workers and one gyne (description below) from 15 Km north of Puerto Maldonado, Tambopata Province , Cuzco Amazonico, Peru, collected by S.P. Cover and J. Tobin (CA-27), elevation 200 m (12°36’S, 69°11’W). Three subsamples, including respectively three, two and one worker bear distinctive labels that read: “Camp. sifted litter from compost pile by trail to zone 1; Camp. in compost pile under bananas at forest edge, berlesate # 148; and seasonally flooded forest, plot ZUZI, flower fall, berlesate # 468”. As for the workers, the main difference of these specimens in relation to the holotype is that the mesonotum is higher than the base of the dorsal face of propodeum in dorsal view. The anterior denticle of the petiole ventral face is not as developed as in the holotype, but can be seen with high magnification (80X). The petiolar postero-dorsal face has very faint rugosities, while the holotype shows conspicuous rugosities. Gyne (first description)

Three equally developed ocelli; mesonotum with parapsidal sutures but no notaulus; katepisternum distally rugose, the rugae continuing through the metapleura; propodeum dorsal face and declivity continuous and completely covered by rugosities, similar to those found in the workers; petiole with a series of transverse rugosities covering the whole ventral face, at the distal end of the petiole, the rugosities cover also the lateral faces, but do not reach the apex; the postpetiole posterodorsal face has one continuous rugosity just before the socket, although the rugosities are absent on the ventral face.