Rogeria neilyensis

Little is known about the biology of this species. The types were collected from "sifted litter (leaf mold and rotten wood) in second-growth rain forest." Longino collected additional material of the species in Winkler samples from Carara, Manuel Antonio, 19km S Ciudad Neily, Rancho Quemado, and Sirena.

Identification
Kugler (1994) - creightoni species group. WL 0.75-0.76rnrn. Clypeal apron convex, with weak median angle. Eye small. Nuchal groove makes a deep notch in lateral view of head. Propodeal spines short, wide. Propodeal spiracles ≥1 diameter from edge of infradental lamella. Postpetiolar sternum not enlarged. Terminal segments of gaster rotated ventrad. Sides of head with distinct areolate-rugose to rugose macro sculpture; mesosoma predominantly rugose. Scapes and legs lack erect hairs. Head dorsum with short, dense, decumbent pilosity and longer, more sparse, erect-suberect hairs. Mesosoma hairs range continuously from short, decumbent to long, erect (i.e. not sorting into two distinct kinds as on head.). Hair on gaster T1 dense, subdecumbent-suberect (decumbent hairs few or absent).

This species is similar in size and reduced petiolar spines to another Central American species, Rogeria inermis, which differs as follows: 1) clypeal apron medially emarginate, 2) nuchal groove weak, 3) eyes larger (OI 0.18-0.22; 15-28 facets), 4) propodeal spiracle ≤1 diameter from edge of prop ode urn, 5) scapes with erect hair, and 6) mesosoma and gaster T1 with little, if any, decumbent hair.

The Rogeria leptonana specimens from Cerro Pico Blanco, Costa Rica, have low, wide propodeal spines like neilyensis, but leptonana has: 1) an emarginate clypeus, 2) weak nuchal grooves, 3) lower lower mesosoma profile (MHI O.84-0.90), and 4) scapes with erect hair.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica.

Castes
Queens have been collected but have not been described. Males have not been collected.

Nomenclature

 *  neilyensis. Rogeria neilyensis Kugler, C. 1994: 63, fig. 43 (w.) COSTA RICA.

Worker
Holotype and Paratype. TL 2.8-2.9 (2.8), HL 0.66-0.68 (0.67), HW 0.58-0.60 (0.59), SL 0.45, EL 0.06-0.07 (0.06) (9-13 facets), PW 0.42-0.43 (0.42), WL 0.75-0.76 (0.75), SpL 0.08-0.10 (0.08), PetL 0.30-0.34 (0.30), PpetL 0.18-0.19 (0.18)mm, CI 0.88-0.89 (0.88), OI 0.10-0.12 (0.10), SI 0.76-0.77 (0.76), PSI 0.1 1-0.13 (0.11), MHI 0.96-1.00 (0.96). N=2

Mandible 6-toothed; basal tooth larger than penultimate tooth. On left mandible, fifth tooth replaced by 2 denticles. Body of clypeus slightly prominent. Frontal lobes rather wide (FLW / HW 0.43-0.44). Anteroventral corner of pronotum projecting tooth-like. No distinct metanotal groove. Propodeal spiracles moderately large, weakly bulging from sides. Metapleural lobes low, broadly rounded. Petiolar peduncle with large ventral keel and tooth. Postpetiolar node lacking a distinct posterior face; subtrapezoidal from above, as in Fig. 50.

Longitudinal rugae on frontal lobes become areolate-rugose half way to back of head. Posterior head transversely areolate-rugose. Laterodorsa areolate-rugose. Intervals in macrosculpture of head shiny, but wrinkled by vague, irregular microsculpture. Anterior edge of pronotal disc areolate; rest of promesonotal dorsum longitudinally rugose-areolate; more rugose mesad, more areolate laterad. Dorsal face of Propodeum transversely rugose. Intervals on mesosoma generally wider and smoother than on head. Petiolar node vaguely areolate; posterior face and peduncle with longitudinal carinae. Surface of postpetiolar node uneven, but predominantly smooth and shiny. Gaster T1 and Sl smooth and shiny, but other segments progressively dulled caudad by dense microareolate sculpture.

Color yellowish-brown, with slightly more yellowish appendages and anterior of head; first tergum of gaster dark brown.

Type Material
Holotype locality. COSTA RICA: Puntarenas Province, 3km N Ciudad Neily [=Villa Neily], 8.41N 82.57W, 210m, 31-VII-1985, #7771-5 (P. S. Ward). From sifted litter (leaf mold and rotten wood) in second-growth rain forest.

Paratype locality. 2 workers, holotype locality, MCZ.

Etymology
The name neilyensis refers to the type locality.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Kugler C. 1994. A revision of the ant genus Rogeria with description of the sting apparatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 3: 17-89.
 * Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.