Species: Simopelta jtl004

Distribution Notes:

Costa Rica: mountainous regions of Cordillera de Tilarán and Cordillera Volcanica Central.

Biology:

All Simopelta species are nomadic group raiders, convergent with Ecitoninae.

I know of this species from two collections. One was workers from a flight intercept trap, one of the Project ALAS samples from the 1100m site on the Barva transect in Braulio Carrillo National Park. The other was collected by Sean O'Donnell in San Gerardo, a 1200m site a few kilometers north of Monteverde. He observed a raiding column.

Identification:

Mandible with one basal tooth and two apical teeth, no teeth or denticles in diastema between the basal and two apical teeth; anteromedian clypeal border triangular, strongly projecting, without spine; sculpture on face and mesosoma composed of sublinear striae, transversely arcuate on face; head relatively long and narrow, head width/head length less than 0.8.

Comments:

These may just be variants of andersoni. The only difference is the lack of additional teeth or denticles on the mandible. Among the many collections of andersoni there is a great deal of variation in the size and number of the extra teeth, and thus these may simply be the limit of that variation.

Notes:

These may just be variants of JTL-001. The only difference is the lack of additional teeth or denticles on the mandible. Among the many collections of JTL-001 there is a great deal of variation in the size and number of the extra teeth, and thus these may simply be the limit of that variation.

Specimen Habitat Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 2 times found in montane wet forest, 1 times found in mature wet forest.

Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 1 times nocturnal column, 1 times bajo de M/06.

Collected most commonly using these methods: 2 times search, 1 times flight intercept trap.

Elevations: collected from 810 - 1200 meters, 1024 meters average

Type specimens:

See something amiss? Send us an email.

Enlarge Map

Citing AntWeb