Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2017)
Taxon Page Images:
Distribution:
(based on species list records)
Neotropical Region: Alajuela,
Americas,
Bocas del Toro,
Central America,
Chiriquí,
Costa Rica,
Heredia,
Panama,
Puntarenas
Distribution Notes:
Costa Rica.
Biology:
This species inhabits mature cloud forest. It is known from 1400–1700 m elevation. All specimens are from Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood from the forest floor. In the Monteverde cloud forest in the Cordillera de Tilarán, it is restricted to the narrow belt of dense cloud forest on the ridge crest, above 1400 m, with abrupt transitions to other species in lower forests on Pacific and Atlantic slopes. On the Barva transect in the Cordillera Volcánica Central, it is rare and only in a narrow elevational belt at 1500 m. It occurred in 1% of miniWinkler samples at 1500 m, and was not found at flanking sites at 1100 m and 2000 m.
Identification:
Mandible with single tooth row; anterior projection of labrum unilobed, without anterior notch; face with 18 specialized spatulate setae; ground pilosity of face spatulate, decumbent, in discrete patches on posterolateral face, leaving median strip bare, anterior border of ground pilosity gradual, extending a short distance beyond anterior row of specialized projecting setae; posteromedian vertex with shallow depression; pronotum with 2 pairs clavate setae; first gastral tergite with full complement 4 pairs erect setae in two longitudinal rows, posterior row with additional flanking pair (4 setae on posterior border); dorsal gastral setae long and weakly clavate, nearly linear. Similar to
E. circumcapillum,
E. machaquila,
E. megalops,
E. oscillum,
E. schmidti,
E. semicapillum.
Comments:
In the Monteverde cloud forest, specimens from ecotonal areas on the Pacific slope appear to intergrade with
E. schmidti (see Figure). Intermediate specimens occur at the transition zones between the heavily moss-laden cloud forest and the less-mossy moist forest of the Monteverde community area. Intermediate specimens have the head and mesosoma the same as
E. ortizae, but the first gastral tergite has the erect setae shorter and more broadened apically (more strongly clavate) and the puncta are larger and more closely spaced, giving the surface a more dull appearance, more like
E. schmidti.
The name is in honor of Patricia Ortiz, a brilliant naturalist whose untimely death saddened the Monteverde community.
Specimen Habitat Summary
Found most commonly in these habitats: 78 times found in cloud forest, 2 times found in montane forest, 2 times found in moist forest, 2 times found in montane wet forest, 1 times found in wet forest.
Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 56 times ex sifted litter from forest floor, 14 times ex sifted leaf litter on ground, 11 times ex sifted leaf litter, 1 times wet for. leaf litter, 1 times ex litter along path on slope, 1 times Cloud forest, ex sifted leaf litter. Reserve, near junction of El Valle and Torr, 2 times ex sifted leaf litter from canopy, 1 times Primary forest, ex sifted leaf litter., 1 times Hojarasca, en bosque paralelo al sendero gradiente fuerte y al lado de paredon, 1 times Hojarasca, 1 times ex litter u. ferns, ...
Collected most commonly using these methods: 85 times Winkler, 2 times berlese, 2 times Mini Winkler.
Elevations: collected from 1180 - 1700 meters, 1541 meters average
Type specimens: holotype Eurhopalothrix oritizae Longino 2013: inbiocri001281342; Paratype: fmnhins0000105084; paratype Eurhopalothrix oritizae Longino 2013: jtlc000003778, jtlc000003995, jtlc000004020, lacment143279, lacment143286, lacment143287, lacment143288, inbiocri001281341, inbiocri001281343
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