> Ponerinae > Anochetus > Anochetus mayri

Species: Anochetus mayri

Author: John T. Longino

Taxonomic Hierarchy:

Subfamily: Ponerinae Genus: Anochetus

Distribution:

Veracruz lowlands of Mexico through Central America and the West Indies to hylean South America, at least as far south as the Beni River drainage of Bolivia, and on the west slope of the Andes to southern Ecuador (Brown 1978). Costa Rica: wet forest in Atlantic lowlands to 800m elevation.

Biology:

Natural History:

Anochetus are presumably predators, using their snapping mandibles much like their larger relatives, Odontomachus. However, there are few direct observations. "A. mayri is found mostly in forests under stones, in moss on rocks or logs, in rotten twigs on the forest floor, or in larger bodies of rotten wood. The workers and queen feign death, and are difficult to see (Brown 1978)." There appear to be two distinct forms in the Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica, one of which may be more arboreal (see below).

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2010)

mayri. Anochetus mayri Emery, 1884a: 378 (diagnosis in key) (w.) ANTILLES IS. Emery, 1890a: 65 (q.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 455 (l.). Senior synonym of laeviusculus: Brown, 1978c: 557 (see also p. 617).

References:

Brown, W. L., Jr. 1978. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. Part VI. Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini, subtribe Odontomachiti. Section B. Genus Anochetus and bibliography. Studia Entomol. 20:549-652.

Emery, C. 1884. Materiali per lo studio della fauna Tunisia raccolti da G. e L. Doria. III. Rassegna delle formiche della Tunisia. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova (2)1:373-386.