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Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2017)

Distribution:

(based on species list records)
Neotropical Region: Americas, Central America, Costa Rica, Heredia, San José

Distribution Notes:

Costa Rica

Biology:

This species occurs in lowland rainforest, from 150–500 m elevation. All specimens are from Winkler samples of sifted leaf litter. It is rare: it occurred in three of 208 Project ALAS Berlese samples, and three of over 1500 TEAM project miniWinkler samples. 

Identification:

Masticatory margin of mandible dominated by a single, blunt, peg-like tooth; tooth at base of subapical tooth, instead of being the small reclinate denticle typical of other species, is a distinct recurved tooth, directed posteriorly; first gastral tergite largely devoid of setae, with one pair of squamiform setae at posterolateral margins; first gastral sternite with pronounced median keel, this keel weak to absent in other species.

Comments:

Workers of this species fall into two distinct size classes. Five specimens have HW 0.54–0.58. Four of these are from La Selva Biological Station (50–150 m elevation), all from different samples, and one is from a 500 m elevation site on the Barva Transect above La Selva. A series of three specimens from one miniWinkler sample (and thus probably from the same colony) have HW 0.74, longer and relatively thinner mesotibiae, and a more robust flattened mandibular base. These are from immediately adjacent to La Selva, at 160 m elevation. There is the potential that they are two cryptic species. The holotype and paratype were chosen from the one series of larger workers.

Specimen Habitat Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 3 times found in mature wet forest, 1 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 Puesto #8,135G,10m., 1 times found in Puesto#8,88G, 10m, 1 times found in Puesto11,4,10 m..

Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 5 times ex sifted leaf litter, 1 times Bosque Primario, Suelo.

Collected most commonly using these methods: 4 times miniWinkler, 3 times Berlese, 1 times maxiWinkler.

Elevations: collected from 50 - 1700 meters, 520 meters average

Type specimens: holotype Rhopalothrix apertor: casent0629589; paratype Rhopalothrix apertor: casent0629588, inb0003667720

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