Azteca constructor

Azteca constructor
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dolichoderinae
Tribe:	Leptomyrmecini
Genus:	Azteca
Species:	A. constructor
Binomial name
Azteca constructor Emery, 1896 Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Azteca emmae Forel, 1904 Azteca guianae Wheeler, W.M., 1942

Longino (2007) - The taxonomy and biology of A. constructor are reviewed in Longino (1989b, 1991a, b). The species is an obligate Cecropia ant. It inhabits a broad range of habitats and elevations. It is often associated with forest gaps or edges where there are relatively larger and older Cecropia trees. Mature colonies occupy a single carton nest in the bole of the tree. The nest is spindle-shaped and causes a deformation of the trunk. All larvae and alate sexuals are concentrated in this single nest. Branch tips, which all communicate internally with the carton nest, contain only workers and Hemiptera. Workers of this species are extremely aggressive, and respond to any disturbance by pouring out of large fissures near the carton nest and blackening the trunk surface (Longino 1991a).

Identification

Longino (2007) - The queens of A. constructor are very distinctive and not easily confused with any other species. Workers of A. constructor and Azteca xanthochroa are very similar. Large workers of A. constructor retain a chocolate brown color, while large workers of A. xanthochroa become more mottled orange. The petiolar node of A. constructor workers is relatively low, while the posteroventral lobe is relatively deep and strongly convex. Workers of A. xanthochroa are the reverse, with relatively taller node and shallower ventral lobe.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Costa Rica Azteca queens
• Key to Costa Rica Azteca workers

Distribution

Guatemala south through Central America to coastal northeastern South America.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 18.18333333° to -0.5833°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (type locality), Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

Longino (2007) - Alate queens of this species and another common Cecropia ant, A. xanthochroa, are relatively common in Malaise trap samples from the Atlantic slope rainforests of Costa Rica. No other Azteca species are common in Malaise traps, even though they are common in the environment. Even the other common Cecropia ants, Azteca alfari and Azteca ovaticeps, are not common in Malaise samples. This implies that there is something distinctive about the behavior of queens of these two species that makes them more susceptible to capture.

Association with Other Organisms

 Explore: Show all Associate data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.

This species is a host for the eurytomid wasp Aximopsis aztecicida (a parasite) (Universal Chalcidoidea Database) (primary host).

• This species is a host for the milichiid fly unknown species (a myrmecophile) in Costa Rica (Swann, 2010; Milichiidae online).

Castes

Worker

Images from AntWeb

Worker. Specimen code casent0249595. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by JTLC.

Syntype of Azteca constructor. Worker. Specimen code casent0905098. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Syntype of Azteca emmae. Worker. Specimen code casent0909624. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0249594. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by JTLC.

Syntype of Azteca emmae. Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0909623. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MHNG, Geneva, Switzerland.

Nomenclature

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

• constructor. Azteca constructor Emery, 1896c: 2, figs. 2a-e, 3 (w.q.m.) COSTA RICA.
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
  • Type-locality: Costa Rica: “Atlantic and Pacific slopes” (no further data) (A. Alfaro).
  • [Notes (i): Longino, 1991: 1585, says syntype labels read “Jimenez, v.1895”; (ii) Shattuck, 1994: 15, cites 5w, 1q syntypes MHNG.]
  • Type-depositories: MHNG, MSNG.
  • Status as species: Forel, 1899c: 110; Forel, 1912h: 50; Emery, 1913a: 32; Wheeler, W.M. 1922c: 14; Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 225; Kempf, 1972a: 31; Brandão, 1991: 329; Longino, 1991: 1585 (redescription); Shattuck, 1994: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 78; Longino, 2007: 26 (redescription); Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012: 253; Guerrero, 2019: 705.
  • Senior synonym of emmae: Longino, 1991: 1585; Shattuck, 1994: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 78; Longino, 2007: 26.
  • Senior synonym of guianae: Longino, 1991: 1585; Shattuck, 1994: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 78; Longino, 2007: 26.
  • Distribution: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela.
• emmae. Azteca emmae Forel, 1904e: 702 (footnote) (w.q.m.) COSTA RICA.
  • Type-material: syntype workers, syntype queens, syntype males (numbers not stated).
  • [Note: Shattuck, 1994: 15, cites 5w, 2q, 2m syntypes (2w MCZC, 3w, 2q, 2m MHNG).]
  • Type-locality: Costa Rica: Chañas Gudas (= Cañas Gordas?, in Prov. Puntarenas) (H. Pittier).
  • Type-depositories: MCZC, MHNG.
  • Status as species: Forel, 1908b: 62; Emery, 1913a: 32; Kempf, 1972a: 31.
  • Junior synonym of constructor: Longino, 1991: 1585; Shattuck, 1994: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 78; Longino, 2007: 26.
• guianae. Azteca constructor var guianae Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 226 (w.q.) GUYANA.
  • Type-material: 9 syntype workers, 1 syntype queen.
  • [Note: Shattuck, 1994: 15, cites 9w, 1q syntypes MCZC.]
  • Type-locality: Guyana (“British Guiana”): Kartabo (W.M. Wheeler).
  • Type-depository: MCZC.
  • Subspecies of constructor: Kempf, 1972a: 31.
  • Junior synonym of constructor: Longino, 1991: 1585; Shattuck, 1994: 15; Bolton, 1995b: 79; Longino, 2007: 26.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Longino (2007) - (n=10): HLA 1.36 (1.24–1.44,3), HW 1.01 (0.68–1.35), SL 0.76 (0.53–0.89), CI 94 (94–101,3), SI 64 (60–69,3).

Palpal formula 5,3; middle and hind tibia with prominent pectinate apical spur; dorsal surface of mandible faintly roughened, not smooth and shining, with sparse small piligerous puncta, setae in puncta short to long, larger puncta with long setae near masticatory margin; medial and lateral clypeal lobes at about same level, medial lobe at most weakly projecting beyond lateral lobes; head with convex sides, strongly cordate posterior margin; mesosoma in lateral profile with promesonotum forming a broad convexity, promesonotal suture weakly impressed, such that pronotum and mesonotum tend toward being separate convexities, mesonotum more strongly convex than pronotum; metanotal groove broad; petiole in profile with node less massive than sternal lobe, perpendicular distance from tergosternal suture to apex of node less than distance to ventral margin of sternal lobe (in contrast to Azteca xanthochroa, on which the petiolar node is larger relative to sternal lobe); scape with abundant erect setae, length of setae about one half maximum width of scape; mid and hind tibia with abundant erect setae, longest setae about one half maximum width of tibia; sides of head with abundant short erect setae from mandibular insertions to level of eye, becoming sparse to absent posterior to eye; posterior margin of head with abundant long curved setae; mesosomal dorsum with abundant erect setae, those on pronotum long, on mesonotum shorter, on dorsal face of propodeum very short, grading into pubescence; color brown.

Queen

Longino (2007) - (n=12): HLA 1.75 (1.56–1.79,6), HW 1.61 (1.45–1.73), SL 0.87 (0.79–0.94), CI 94 (91–98,6), SI 51 (49–53,6).

Palpal formula 5,3; middle and hind tibia with prominent pectinate apical spur; dorsal surface of mandible roughened, dull, with sparse small piligerous puncta, setae in puncta short, larger puncta with long setae near masticatory margin; medial and lateral clypeal lobes at about same level (medial lobe not projecting anteriorly); head quadrate, with sides somewhat convex, weakly cordate posteriorly; petiolar node low, triangular, acute, but apex rounded, not sharp; posteroventral petiolar lobe evenly convex, shallow, not strongly developed, ending before posterior margin of sternite, leaving small rim formed by posteriormost portion of sternite; scape with abundant erect setae, about as long as one half to two thirds maximum width of scape; middle and hind tibia with abundant erect setae, longest of these about as long as maximum width of tibia (MTSC 20–35); sides of head with erect setae variably abundant, from nearly absent to moderately abundant; posterior margin of head with abundant very long setae; pronotum with abundant long setae on posterior third; mesoscutum, scutellum, and propodeum with dense brush of abundant setae; petiolar node with variable number of long setae on apex, abundant long setae on posteroventral lobe; all gastral terga with abundant erect setae; color black.

Type Material

Longino (2007) - Syntype workers, queens, males: Costa Rica, Atlantic and Pacific slopes (Alfaro) [label: Jimenez, C. R. v.95] Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa (examined).

References

• Choe, J.C. 2010. Colony founding in social insects. Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior (Second Edition), pp. 310-316.
• Emery, C. 1896b. Alcune forme nuove del genere Azteca For. e note biologiche. Boll. Mus. Zool. Anat. Comp. R. Univ. Torino 11(2 230: 1-7 (page 2, figs. 2, 3 worker, queen, male described)
• Franco, W., Ladino, N., Delabie, J.H.C., Dejean, A., Orivel, J., Fichaux, M., Groc, S., Leponce, M., Feitosa, R.M. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674, 509–543 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4674.5.2).
• Longino, J. T. 1991a. Taxonomy of the Cecropia-inhabiting Azteca ants. J. Nat. Hist. 2 25: 1571-1602 (page 1585, senior synonym of emmae and guianae)
• Longino, J.T. 2007. A taxonomic review of the genus Azteca in Costa Rica and a global revision of the aurita group. Zootaxa. 1491:1-63.
• Marting, P.R., Kallman, N.M., Wcislo, W.T., Pratt, S.C. 2018. Ant-plant sociometry in the Azteca-Cecropia mutualism. Scientific Reports 8, 17968 (doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36399-9).
• Nagatani, V., Da Silva, N.S., Albuquerque, E.Z., Gaglioti, A.L., Morini, M.S.C. 2021. Natural history notes on worker size, colony size, and nest structure of Azteca muelleri Emery, 1893 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Cecropia glaziovii (Rosales: Urticaceae) from the Atlantic Forest. Entomological Communications 3, ec03017 (doi:10.37486/2675-1305.ec03017).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
• Del Toro, I., M. Vázquez, W.P. Mackay, P. Rojas and R. Zapata-Mata. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Tabasco: explorando la diversidad de la mirmecofauna en las selvas tropicales de baja altitud. Dugesiana 16(1):1-14.
• Emery C. 1896. Alcune forme nuove del genere Azteca For. e note biologiche. Bollettino dei Musei di Zoologia ed Anatomia Comparata della Reale Università di Torino 11(230): 1-7.
• Emery C. 1896. Studi sulle formiche della fauna neotropica. XVII-XXV. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 28: 33-107.
• Emery C. 1913. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Dolichoderinae. Genera Insectorum 137: 1-50.
• Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
• Forel A. 1908. Fourmis de Costa-Rica récoltées par M. Paul Biolley. Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 44: 35-72.
• Forel A. 1912. Formicides néotropiques. Part V. 4me sous-famille Dolichoderinae Forel. Mémoires de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 20: 33-58.
• 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.
• INBio Collection (via Gbif)
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Longino J. T. 1991. Taxonomy of the Cecropia-inhabiting Azteca ants. Journal of Natural History 25: 1571-1602
• Longino J. T. 2007. A taxonomic review of the genus Azteca (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Costa Rica and a global revision of the aurita group. Zootaxa 1491: 1-63
• Longino J. T. 2013. Ants of Nicargua. Consulted on 18 Jan 2013. https://sites.google.com/site/longinollama/reports/ants-of-nicaragua
• Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/
• Maes, J.-M. and W.P. MacKay. 1993. Catalogo de las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Nicaragua. Revista Nicaraguense de Entomologia 23.
• Salinas P. J. 2010. Catalogue of the ants of the Táchira State, Venezuela, with notes on their biodiversity, biogeography and ecology (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Amblyioponinae, Ponerinae, Proceratiinae, Myrmicinae, Ecitoninae, Formicinae, Pseudomyrmecinae, Dolichoderinae). Boletín de la SEA 47: 315-328.
• Shattuck S. O. 1994. Taxonomic catalog of the ant subfamilies Aneuretinae and Dolichoderinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of California Publications in Entomology 112: i-xix, 1-241.
• Solomon, S.E. and A.S. Mikheyev. 2005. The ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) fauna of Cocos Island, Costa Rica. Florida Entomologist 88(4):415-423
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• Wheeler W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262.