Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2017)
Overview:
A cryptic inhabitant of forest floor leaf litter and rotten wood. Costa Rica.
Distribution:
(based on species list records)
Neotropical Region: Americas,
Central America,
Costa Rica,
Heredia,
Puntarenas,
San José
Distribution Notes:
Costa Rica.
Biology:
This species inhabits cloud forest, from 1100–1600 m. All specimens are from samples of sifted leaf litter and rotten wood from the forest floor. A total of 8 workers and 1 dealate queen are known, from 7 Winkler samples. All but one of the specimens are from the ridge crest cloud forest above the community of Monteverde, 1500–1600 m, in the Cordillera de Tilarán. One worker is from 1100 m on the Barva Transect, in the Cordillera Volcánica Central.
Identification:
Antennal scrobe very shallow, not distinctly margined; face with arcuate carina; frontal carinae and facial arc separated by a transverse trough, and the termini of the facial arc extend laterally beyond the termini of the frontal carinae (termini of facial arc join frontal carinae in
O. ascrobis,
O. ascrobicula); facial arc not strongly elevated, becoming irregular and somewhat weaker laterally, frontal carinae stronger than lateral portions of facial arc (facial arc strong throughout, much stronger than frontal carinae in
O. limbifrons); pronotum smooth and shiny, differentiated from foveolate mesonotum (promesonotal dorsum uniformly foveolate in
O. convallisur).
Comments:
This species and the closely similar
O. ascrobis form an elevational replacement series in Costa Rica, with
O. ascrobis being a widespread lowland species and
O. convallis being a montane endemic with a narrow range.
The name refers to shallow trough that separates the frontal carinae from the transverse carina on the vertex.
Specimen Habitat Summary
Found most commonly in these habitats: 7 times found in cloud forest, 1 times found in cloud forest edge, near dairy farm pasture, some big trees in rocky areas, probably disturbed primary or old second growth, on a steep slope, 1 times found in Montane forest, 1 times found in montane wet forest.
Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 4 times ex sifted leaf litter, 3 times ex sifted leaf litter on ground, 2 times ex sifted litter from forest floor, 1 times Hojarasca.
Collected most commonly using these methods: 7 times Winkler, 1 times maxiWinkler, 1 times Mini Winkler, 1 times miniWinkler.
Elevations: collected from 1100 - 1770 meters, 1550 meters average
Type specimens: holotype Octostruma convallis Longino 2013: casent0627381; paratype Octostruma convallis Longino 2013: casent0627383, casent0627384, casent0639166, jtlc000003934, jtlc000004888
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