Pseudomyrmex eduardi

Pseudomyrmex eduardi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Pseudomyrmecinae
Genus:	Pseudomyrmex
Species:	P. eduardi
Binomial name
Pseudomyrmex eduardi (Forel, 1912) Specimen labels

This species is known to nest in twigs but little else is known regarding its biology.

Identification

Ward (1989) - This species is easily recognized by its combination of small size (HW < 0.58), dark color, and smooth shiny appearance (especially on the head and mesosoma dorsum). The sculpture in the middle of the head between the compound eyes is particularly characteristic, consisting of very fine punctures and a few slightly coarser ones. All other species in the P. oculatus group have denser, coarser punctate sculpture on this part of the head.

Distribution

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, Venezuela

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 17.9992° to -14.5°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Greater Antilles, Jamaica (type locality), Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela.

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

Ward (1989) - I collected colonies of P. eduardi in dead twigs of Conocarpus erectus and Avicennia germinans in mangrove in Venezuela. Other biological collection data include: in tree fall, wet forest (Costa Rica), dead stem of beach tree (Manaus, Brazil), in rain forest (Huanuco, Peru).

Castes

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0178617. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by MIZA, Maracay, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

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

• eduardi. Pseudomyrma eduardi Forel, 1912g: 29 (w.) JAMAICA. Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kempf, 1972a: 217. See also: Ward, 1989: 418.

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

Description

Worker

Ward (1989) - measurements (n=11). HL 0.74-0.80, HW 0.50-0.57, MFC 0.009-0.018, CI 0.67-0.72, OI 0.53-0.59, REL 0.52-0.55, REL2 0.74-0.79, OOI 0.28-0.70, VI 0.79-0.86, FCI 0.017-0.032, SI 0.43-0.47, SI2 0.55-0.62, FI 0.46-0.53, POI 0.93-1.31, MPI 0.039-0.073, NI 0.52-0.64, PLI 0.79-0.92, PWI 0.62-0.72, PPWI 1.19-1.50.

diagnosis. Similar to Pseudomyrmex caeciliae (q.v.) in size, shape, and color; differing in sculpture - head largely smooth and shining, with scattered fine punctures which become coarser (but still somewhat effaced) in the region posterior to the compound eye; the punctulate-coriarious sculpture of the mesosoma is also somewhat effaced, producing rather strongly shining areas in the centre of the mesosoma dorsum and on the side of the propodeum: petiole, postpetiole, and gaster with a shinier appearance than in P. caeciliae, although still covered with moderately dense pubescence. Dark brown, the mandibles and tarsi lighter.

Type Material

Ward (1989) - Holotype (unique syntype) worker, Kingston, Jamaica (Forel) (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève) [Examined].

References

• Forel, A. 1912h. Formicides néotropiques. Part IV. 3me sous-famille Myrmicinae Lep. (suite). Mém. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 20: 1-32 (page 29, worker 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).
• Kempf, W. W. 1972b. Catálogo abreviado das formigas da regia~o Neotropical. Stud. Entomol. 15: 3-344 (page 217, Combination in Pseudomyrmex)
• Ward, P. S. 1989a. Systematic studies on pseudomyrmecine ants: revision of the Pseudomyrmex oculatus and P. subtilissimus species groups, with taxonomic comments on other species. Quaest. Entomol. 25: 393-468 (page 418, see also)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Bluthgen N., M. Verhaagh, W. Goitia, K. Jaffe, W. Morawetz, and W. Barthlott. 2000. How plants shape the ant community in the Amazonian rainforest canopy: the key role of extrafloral nectaries and homopteran honeydew. Oecologia 125: 229-240.
• 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
• Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
• Forel A. 1912. Formicides néotropiques. Part IV. 3me sous-famille Myrmicinae Lep. (suite). Mémoires de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 20: 1-32.
• 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).
• Longino J. T., J. Coddington, and R. K. Colwell. 2002. The ant fauna of a tropical rain forest: estimating species richness three different ways. Ecology 83: 689-702.
• Ward P. S. 1990. The Ant Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Generic Revision and Relationship to Other Formicids. Systematic Entomology 15: 449-489
• Ward P. S. 1992. Ants of the genus Pseudomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Dominican amber, with a synopsis of the extant Antillean species. Psyche (Cambridge) 99: 55-85
• Ward, P. S. 1989. Systematic Studies on Pseudomyrmecine Ants: Revision of the Pseudomyrmex Oculatus and P. Subtilissimus Species Groups with Taxonomic Comments on Other Species. Questiones Entomologicae 25: 393-468
• Wheeler W. M. 1917. Jamaican ants collected by Prof. C. T. Brues. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 61: 457-471.