Azteca longiceps

Azteca longiceps
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Dolichoderinae
Tribe:	Leptomyrmecini
Genus:	Azteca
Species:	A. longiceps
Binomial name
Azteca longiceps Emery, 1893 Specimen Labels
Synonyms
Azteca prorsa Wheeler, W.M., 1942

The taxonomy and biology of A. longiceps was reviewed in Longino (1996). Azteca longiceps is an obligate inhabitant of myrmecophytic Triplaris trees.

Identification

Longino (2007) - The 5,3 palpal formula, the presence of tibial spurs, and the elongate rectangular head places A. longiceps among the species treated in Longino (1996). The lack of conspicuous erect setae on the mandibles differentiates it from Azteca brevis and Azteca nigricans. The remaining similar species are Azteca beltii, Azteca oecocordia, and Azteca pittieri. Queens of A. longiceps differ from queens of A. beltii in the smaller size and brown color. They differ from A. pittieri in the relatively longer, more rectangular head (Fig. 4B). They differ from A. oecocordia in the less triangular petiolar node, more setose hind tibia, larger puncta on the mandible, and smaller size.

Keys including this Species

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

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 19.243408° to -14.79861111°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (type locality), Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama.

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

Explore Overview of Azteca biology  All known Azteca species are arboreal, nesting in living or dead wood, or external carton nests. Some species exhibit obligate associations with myrmecophytes, especially of the genus Cecropia (see Chapter 14 of The Ants). Feeding habits are generalized with foraging occurring both arboreally and on the ground. ‎

Castes

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code inbiocri001279983. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by JTLC.

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code jtlc000009517. Photographer Shannon Hartman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by PSWC.

Nomenclature

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

• longiceps. Azteca longiceps Emery, 1893b: 144, pl. 2, figs. 64, 65 (q.) COSTA RICA.
  • Type-material: holotype queen.
  • Type-locality: Costa Rica: Alajuela (A. Alfaro).
  • Type-depository: MSNG.
  • Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 230 (w.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1951: 193 (l.).
  • Status as species: Forel, 1899c: 119; Emery, 1913a: 33; Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 230 (redescription); Kempf, 1972a: 33; Shattuck, 1994: 21; Bolton, 1995b: 79; Longino, 1996: 138; Longino, 2007: 37 (redescription); Branstetter & Sáenz, 2012: 253.
  • Senior synonym of prorsa: Longino, 2007: 37.
  • Distribution: Costa Rica, Guatemala.
• prorsa. Azteca prorsa Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 238, pl. 56, fig. a (w.) GUATEMALA.
  • Type-material: syntype workers (number not stated, “numerous”).
  • [Notes (i): Baroni Urbani, 1977e: 79, cites 4w syntypes NHMB; (ii) Shattuck, 1994: 24, cites 44w syntypes (40 MCZC, 4 NHMB).]
  • Type-locality: Guatemala: Escuintla, xii.1911 (W.M. Wheeler).
  • Type-depositories: LACM, MCZC, NHMB.
  • Status as species: Kempf, 1972a: 34; Shattuck, 1994: 24; Bolton, 1995b: 79.
  • Junior synonym of longiceps: Longino, 2007: 37.

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=6): HLA 1.10 (0.94–1.19), HW 0.84 (0.75–0.92), SL 0.54 (0.50–0.58), CI 77 (74–80), SI 50 (49–54).

Palpal formula 5,3; middle and hind tibia with prominent pectinate apical spur; dorsal surface of mandible smooth and shiny on apical half or more, becoming microareolate and dull near base, with sparse puncta, row of puncta along masticatory margin with setae, others lacking setae; medial and lateral clypeal lobes at about same level; head elongate with weakly convex sides, strongly excavate posterior margin; in lateral profile pronotum shallowly convex, mesonotum more strongly convex and forming separate convexity that weakly protrudes above pronotum; scape with moderately abundant erect setae, length of setae about one half maximum width of scape; mid and hind tibia with abundant erect setae, longest about one half maximum width of tibia; side of head with 5–10 short erect setae; posterior margin of head with abundant short erect setae; pronotum, mesonotum, and propodeum with abundant erect setae; color brown.

Queen

Longino (2007) - (n=9): HLA 1.47 (1.42–1.55), HW 0.86(0.84–0.91), SL 0.58 (0.56–0.61), CI 59 (57–60), SI 40 (38–41).

Palpal formula 5,3; middle and hind tibia with prominent pectinate apical spur; dorsal surface of mandible with row of large puncta at masticatory margin, these bearing long setae, about 4 large puncta posterior to this row, lacking setae, otherwise puncta small, surface microareolate, dull; medial and lateral clypeal lobes at about same level; head rectangular, posterior margin distinctly excised medially; petiolar node short, bluntly rounded; posteroventral petiolar lobe deep, strongly convex from front to back; scape with moderately abundant erect setae, about as long as one third maximum width of scape; middle and hind tibia with moderately abundant erect setae, longest about as long as one third to one half maximum width of tibia (MTSC 10–20), side of head with 0–4 short, inconspicuous erect setae, posterior margin of head with abundant long erect setae; pronotum with posterior row of erect setae, occasionally a pair of setae on the medial area; mesoscutum, scutellum and propodeum with moderately abundant erect setae; petiolar node in profile with 2–4 pairs erect setae projecting above apex, posteroventral lobe with abundant short erect setae; gastral terga with very sparse erect setae; general body color uniformly dark brown.

Type Material

Longino (2007) - Holotype queen: Costa Rica, Alajuela (Alfaro) Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa (examined).

References

• Cantone S. 2018. Winged Ants, The queen. Dichotomous key to genera of winged female ants in the World. The Wings of Ants: morphological and systematic relationships (self-published).
• Emery, C. 1893l. Studio monografico sul genere Azteca Forel. Mem. R. Accad. Sci. Ist. Bologna (5)3:119-152 (page 144, pl. 2, figs. 64, 65 queen described)
• Longino, J. T. 1996. Taxonomic characterization of some live-stem inhabiting Azteca (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Costa Rica, with special reference to the ants of Cordia (Boraginaceae) and Triplaris (Polygonaceae). J. Hym. Res. 5: 131-156. (page 138, see also)
• 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.
• Wheeler, G. C.; Wheeler, J. 1951. The ant larvae of the subfamily Dolichoderinae. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 53: 169-210 (page 193, larva described)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262 (page 230, soldier, worker, male described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Emery C. 1893. Studio monografico sul genere Azteca Forel. Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna (5)3: 119-152
• 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.
• Ibarra-Manriquez, G., and R. Dirzo. 1990. Plantas mirmecofilas arboreas de la estacion de biologia Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Revista de Biologia Tropical 38: 79-82.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• 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
• Maes, J.-M. and W.P. MacKay. 1993. Catalogo de las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Nicaragua. Revista Nicaraguense de Entomologia 23.
• 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.
• Wheeler W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262.