Pheidole carapuna

In Costa Rica, Longino (1997) found carapuna in lowland rainforest, where it nests and forages on and near the forest floor. In Costa Rica's Corcovado National Park, he discovered a nest under the bark of a rotten log, and elsewhere observed workers recruiting at night to a dead tabanid fly on a vertical tree trunk close to the ground. At Cuzco Amazonico, near Puerto Maldonado, Peru, Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin found a colony in mature rainforest, nesting in humus on top of a rotten log. Similarly, Mark Moffett collected a colony from a rotten log at Saul, French Guiana. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Amazonian Brazil and Peru north to Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the southern Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica and Honduras. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru , Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

Worker
Minor

Images from AntWeb
Major

Nomenclature

 *  carapuna. Pheidole (Pheidole) carapuna Mann, 1916: 432, pl. 3, fig. 22 (s.w.q.) BRAZIL.
 * Senior synonym of chaquimayensis: Wilson, 2003: 672.
 * Senior synonym of tristicolus: Longino, 2019: 30.
 * chaquimayensis. Pheidole carapuna var. chaquimayensis Wheeler, W.M. 1925a: 20 (s.m.) PERU.
 * Junior synonym of carapuna: Wilson, 2003: 672.
 * tristicula. Pheidole tristicula Wilson, 2003: 768, figs. (s.w.) PERU.
 * Junior synonym of carapuna: Longino, 2019: 30.

Taxonomic Notes
Longino (2019) - Pheidole carapuna as interpreted here is a widespread species that occurs from Mexico to northern South America, as far south as Peru. Wilson (2003) commented on the closeness of Pheidole carapuna and Pheidole tristicula. I consider the slight morphological differences cited to differentiate them to be intraspecific variation. There is no evidence of multiple sympatric forms, and DNA sequence data (unpublished) suggest a single widespread species.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A small, brownish red (major) to yellow (minor) species belonging to a group of ambiguous species composing the "carapuna complex" (Pheidole boltoni, Pheidole carapuna, Pheidole cornicula, Pheidole cuprina, Pheidole eriophora, Pheidole jivaro, Pheidole manuana and Pheidole tristicula). All are relatively small in size, with the major possessing a reduced mesonotal convexity, as well as cephalic sculpturing that consists entirely of longitudinal carinulae extending to or almost to the occipital border seen in full-face view. All also have a minor with a broad, concave occiput, which lacks a collar.

Among these species, P. carapuna is close to tristicula (q.v.), distinguished in the major by its darker color, reduced pronotal carinulae and absence of carinulae in the posteriormost lateral quarters of the dorsal head surface seen in full-face view.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.08, HL 1.28, SL 0.60, EL 0.14, PW 0.60. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.48, HL 0.52, SL 0.44, EL 0.08, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major: body and head a rich medium brownish red, gaster light brown.

Minor: concolorous light yellow.

Pheidole tristicula

DIAGNOSIS A small, bicolorous, mostly yellow species belonging to a group of ambiguous species composing the "carapuna complex" (Pheidole boltoni, Pheidole carapuna, Pheidole cornicula, Pheidole cuprina, Pheidole eriophora, Pheidole jivaro, Pheidole manuana and Pheidole tristicula). All are relatively small in size, with the major possessing a reduced mesonotal convexity and cephalic sculpturing that consists entirely of longitudinal carinulae that extend to or almost to the occipital border seen in full-face view. All also have a minor with a broad, concave occiput, which lacksa collar. Among these species, P. tristicula is distinguished in the major by combination of its elevated humerus in dorsal-oblique view, laterally angular postpetiolar node, transversely carinulate pronotal dorsum, partially shagreened first gastral tergite, and in color. It is closest to carapuna.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.08, HL 1.24, SL 0.64, EL 0.l8, PW 0.60. Paratype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.60, SL 0.54, EL 0.l2, PW 0.38.

COLOR Major and minor: head and meso soma light reddish yellow ("orange"), rest of body and appendages clear medium yellow.

'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Etymology
P. carapuna: Unknown.

L tristicula, dim. of tristis, sad.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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 * Ryder Wilkie K.T., A. L. Mertl, and J. F. A. Traniello. 2010. Species Diversity and Distribution Patterns of the Ants of Amazonian Ecuador. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13146.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013146
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