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Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2017)

Distribution:

(based on species list records)
Neotropical Region: Alajuela, Americas, Central America, Costa Rica, Gracias a Dios, Heredia, Honduras, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Nicaragua, Puntarenas

Distribution Notes:

Honduras to Costa Rica.

Biology:

Members of the genus are all predaceous, with a static pressure mode of attack (Bolton 1999).

This species inhabits wet forest habitat. I only know it from Berlese and Winkler samples from the forest floor. It is known from two sifted litter samples from Penas Blancas (800m) and one litter/soil core from La Selva Biological Station.

Comments:

Original Description: Pyramica stauroma Bolton 2000:226. Holotype worker: Costa Rica, Prov. Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 10 degrees 26'N, 84 degrees 00'W, 50-150m, 1.ii.1994, B/05/381 (Project ALAS) [INBIO]. Paratype workers: same data as holotype; Costa Rica, Prov. Alajuela, Rio Penas Blancas, 10 degrees 19'N, 84 degrees 43'W, 800m, 26-28.iv.1987, #1579-s (J. Longino); same data but #1578-s [BMNH, MCZ, LACM, UCD].

Longino, 21 Oct 2013: With respect to DNA barcoding, Strumigenys microthrix, stauroma, and cassicuspis all cluster together. Strumigenys stauroma forms one cluster. Strumigenys cassicuspis forms two sister clusters: Atlantic lowlands of Nicaragua and Honduras, versus elsewhere in Honduras. Strumigenys microthrix forms two non-sister clusters: Honduras and Nicaragua.

References:

Bolton, B. 1999. Ant genera of the tribe Dacetonini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). J. Nat. Hist. 33:1639-1689.

Bolton, B. 2000. The ant tribe Dacetini, with a revision of the Strumigenys species of the Malagasy Region by Brian L. Fisher, and a revision of the Austral epopostrumiform genera by Steven O. Shattuck. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 65:1-1028.

Specimen Habitat Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 6 times found in montane wet forest, 5 times found in cloud forest, 3 times found in tropical rainforest, 2 times found in lowland rainforest, 2 times found in mature wet forest, 2 times found in tropical wet forest, 1 times found in CC, 1 times found in Primary wet forest, 1 times found in wet forest.

Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 14 times ex sifted leaf litter, 1 times litter/soil core, 3 times ex sifted litter from forest floor, 2 times sifted litter, 1 times Hojarasca, mature forest, level, 1 times sifted leaf litter, 1 times Hojarasca., 1 times Hojarasca, mature forest, climbing steeply.

Collected most commonly using these methods: 7 times miniWinkler, 8 times Winkler, 6 times MaxiWinkler, 1 times Berlese, 2 times Mini Winkler.

Elevations: collected from 50 - 1560 meters, 766 meters average

Type specimens: holotype Pyramica stauroma: inbiocri001259534; paratype of Pyramica stauroma: inbiocri001283707; paratype Pyramica stauroma: inbiocri001259536, inbiocri001259537, inbiocri001283710

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