Pseudomyrmex laevifrons

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pseudomyrmex laevifrons
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Pseudomyrmecinae
Genus: Pseudomyrmex
Species group: goeldii
Species: P. laevifrons
Binomial name
Pseudomyrmex laevifrons
Ward, 1989

Pseudomyrmex laevifrons lacm ent 142549 profile 1.jpg

Pseudomyrmex laevifrons lacm ent 142549 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen labels

Synonyms

Most collections consist of scattered foragers on low vegetation and on recent treefalls. I have collected seven nest series, all from dead twigs of woody plants: two from vines, three from Melastomataceae trees, and two from unidentified plants. (Ward 2017)

Identification

Ward (2017) - Workers of this species can be recognized by their small size (HW 0.47–0.55), shiny puncticulate head, angulate propodeum, and the presence of a single pair of erect setae on the pronotal humeri, petiole and postpetiole. Pseudomyrmex obtusus and Pseudomyrmex parvulus have a more densely sculptured head and less standing pilosity (lacking at least on the petiole). Differences between Pseudomyrmex laevifrons and the closely similar Pseudomyrmex micans are discussed under the latter species.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Ward (2017) - This species is distributed from Nicaragua to Bolivia and central Brazil, and has been recorded from tropical moist forest, rainforest, second-growth rainforest, and rainforest edge.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 10.648° to -14.79861111°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil (type locality), Costa Rica.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • laeviceps. Pseudomyrma laeviceps Smith, F. 1877b: 63 (w.) BRAZIL. [Misspelled as leviceps by Dalla Torre, 1893: 57.] Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kusnezov, 1964: 83. [Junior primary homonym of laeviceps Smith, F. 1859a: 145, above.]. Replacement name: laevifrons Ward, 1989: 440.
  • laevifrons. Pseudomyrmex laevifrons Ward, 1989: 440. Replacement name for laeviceps Smith, F. 1877b: 63, above. [Junior primary homonym of laeviceps Smith, F. 1859a: 145.]

The following notes on F. Smith type specimens have been provided by Barry Bolton (details):

Pseudomyrma laeviceps

Holotype worker in Oxford University Museum of Natural History. With two labels, “Aru 21” and “Aru.”

Description

Small species (HL 0.65–0.75, HW 0.47–0.55) with elongate head and eyes (CI 0.69–0.78, REL 0.57–0.64, REL2 0.79–0.87); masticatory margin of mandible with 5 teeth; palp formula 4,3; juncture between dorsal and declivitous faces of propodeum usually notably angulate, sometimes producing slight tubercles laterally; anterodorsal face of petiole usually ascending relatively steeply (Fig. 5b). Head smooth and shiny with scattered fine punctulae; pronotum similar centrally, but remainder of mesosoma becoming sublucid, with coriarious-imbricate sculpture on most surfaces including mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum; petiole, postpetiole and gaster with moderately dense pubescence. Standing pilosity sparse (MSC 2); paired erect setae present on pronotal humeri, petiole and postpetiole. Dark brown, mandibles, frontoclypeal complex and tarsi lighter; pronotum, petiole and postpetiole often a contrastingly lighter medium- to yellowish-brown.

Ward (2017) - (n = 16). HL 0.65–0.75, HW 0.47–0.55, MFC 0.005–0.010, LHT 0.36–0.41, CI 0.69– 0.78, REL 0.57–0.64, REL2 0.79–0.87, FCI 0.010–0.019, FI 0.50–0.56, PLI 0.66–0.80, PWI 0.54–0.66.

Type Material

Ward (1989) - Two syntype workers, Para. Brazil (The Natural History Museum) [Examined]. One syntype worker here designated LECTOTYPE.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Brandao, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 35: 319-412.
  • Fernández F., E. E. Palacio, W. P. Mackay, and E. S. MacKay. 1996. Introducción al estudio de las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Colombia. Pp. 349-412 in: Andrade M. G., G. Amat García, and F. Fernández. (eds.) 1996. Insectos de Colombia. Estudios escogidos. Bogotá: Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, 541 pp
  • Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
  • Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
  • Smith F. 1863. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace in the islands of Mysol, Ceram, Waigiou, Bouru and Timor. Journal and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Zoology 7: 6-48.