Rasopone sp

The following morphospecies, from [[Media:Longino, J.T., Branstetter, M.G. 2020. Phylogenomic species delimitation, taxonomy, and Bird Guide (10.1093@isd@ixaa004).pdf|Longino, J.T. and M.G. Branstetter. 2020. Phylogenomic species delimitation, taxonomy, and ‘bird guide’ identification for the Neotropical ant genus Rasopone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insect Systematics and Diversity. 4(2):1;1–33]], "were described but not formally named due to insufficient material."

Rasopone JTL027
Geographic range. Panama (Darien).

Diagnosis - Mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head bare; petiolar node cuboidal. The other two species from Darien are much larger, with HW ≥ 1.4. It is similar to Rasopone cryptergates, but with relatively longer petiole (mean PTI 64 vs 57).

Measurements, worker: HW 1.12, HL 1.34, SL 1.07, PTL 0.51, PTH 0.80, CI 83, SI 96, PTI 64 (n = 1).

Biology - The species is known from a single worker, from a moist forest site at 810 m elevation. The worker was collected in a ravine, in excavated soil of a clay bank.

Comments - UCE phylogenetic results place this specimen together with three other species: two morphospecies from the same site in Darien (JTL029 and JTL030) and Rasopone cryptergates from Costa Rica.

Rasopone JTL029
Geographic range.Panama (Darien).

Diagnosis - Mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head bare; petiolar node weakly tapering, subcuboidal. Among the three species in Darien, R. JTL027 is much smaller and R. JTL030 has a more tapering, scale-like petiolar node.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.52, HL 1.64, SL 1.12, PTL 0.64, PTH 1.16, CI 93, SI 74, PTI 55 (n = 1).

Biology - This species is known from one worker, from a cloud forest site at 1,305 m elevation. It was collected in a Winkler sample of forest floor litter and rotten wood.

Comments - See Rasopone JTL027.

Rasopone JTL030
Geographic range. Panama (Darien).

Diagnosis - Mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head with short erect setae; petiolar node tapering, scale-like. Among the three species in Darien, R. JTL027 is much smaller and R. JTL029 has a more cuboidal petiolar node.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.40, HL 1.58, SL 1.15, PTL 0.61, PTH 1.08, CI 88, SI 82, PTI 57 (n = 1).

Biology - This species is known from one worker, from a montane wet forest site at 1,190 m elevation. It was collected in a Winkler sample of forest floor litter and rotten wood.

Comments - See Rasopone JTL027.

Rasopone JTL034
Geographic range.Mexico (Puebla, Veracruz), Honduras.

Diagnosis - Mandible smooth and shining or very faintly striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head with short erect setae; petiolar node moderately tapering, intermediate between cuboidal and scale-like. Three species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL034:

Rasopone guatemalensis: no known local sympatry, but ranges overlap; petiolar node slightly more tapering, scale-like; scape longer (mean SI 86 vs 76); head narrower (mean CI 86 vs 93).

Rasopone politognatha: no known local sympatry, but ranges overlap; side of head bare; scape slightly longer (mean SI 82 vs 76).

Rasopone JTL035: no known local sympatry but in close proximity in Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, possibly segregating by elevation; somewhat larger and darker red brown; side of head bare.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.11 (1.04-1.15, 3); HL 1.19 (1.12- 1.23, 3); SL 0.85 (0.79-0.91, 3); PTH 0.73 (0.68-0.77, 3); PTL 0.42 (0.39-0.45, 3); CI 93 (92-93, 3); SI 77 (75-79, 3); PTI 58 (56-61, 3).

Biology - This species occurs in wet to moist forest, with records from 170 to 980 m elevation. It is known from four widely separated localities. The three known worker specimens are from Winkler samples of forest floor litter and rotten wood. A male was collected 14 June 2010 in a Malaise trap.

Comments - UCE results unite three workers from widely separated localities. The sister taxon is the single specimen of R. JTL035, which appears to be a more montane version of R. JTL034 that is slightly larger and darker. The specimen of R. JTL035 is from a cloud forest site in Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, while one of the specimens of R. JTL034 is from just a few kilometers away, in the lowland rainforest of Los Tuxtlas Biological Station. However, the Los Tuxtlas specimen of R. JTL034 forms a clade with specimens from Puebla (Mexico) and Honduras. COI data unite a male from Tela, Honduras, with the three worker specimens.

Rasopone JTL035
Geographic range.Mexico (Veracruz).

Diagnosis - Mandible smooth and shining; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head bare; petiolar node moderately tapering, intermediate between cuboidal and scale-like. Two species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL035:

Rasopone ferruginea: mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin sinuous; petiole more scale-like.

Rasopone JTL034: no known local sympatry but in close proximity in Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, possibly segregating by elevation; somewhat smaller and lighter brown; side of head with inconspicuous, short erect setae.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.17, HL 1.20, SL 0.89, PTL 0.41, PTH 0.76, CI 97, SI 77, PTI 53 (n = 1).

Biology - This species is known from one specimen from mixed hardwood cloud forest at 1,114 m elevation. The specimen is from a Winkler sample of forest floor litter and rotten wood.

Comments - See Rasopone JTL034.

Rasopone JTL037
Geographic range.Guatemala, El Salvador.

Diagnosis - Mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head mostly bare, with a few erect setae posterior to eye; petiolar node subcuboidal. Three species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL037:

Rasopone ferruginea: anterior clypeal margin sinuous; petiole more scale-like.

Rasopone mesoamericana: petiolar node more scale-like.

Rasopone subcubitalis: scape shorter (mean SI 84 vs 92).

Measurements, worker: HW 1.41 (1.39-1.43, 2); HL 1.59 (1.58- 1.59, 2); SL 1.30 (1.28-1.32, 2); PTH 1.06 (1.04-1.08, 2); PTL 0.54 (0.53-0.55, 2); CI 89 (88-90, 2); SI 92 (92-92, 2); PTI 51 (51-51, 2).

Biology - This species is known from two specimens, one from a 1,550 m elevation cloud forest in Guatemala, and one from a 1,760 m cloud forest in El Salvador. The specimens are from Winkler and Berlese samples of forest floor litter and rotten wood.

Comments - There are no UCE data for this morphospecies. COI data from the Guatemala specimen place it on an isolated branch in Rasopone.

Rasopone JTL040
Geographic range.Colombia.

Diagnosis - Mandible smooth; anterior clypeal margin truncate, medial lobe concave; side of head with erect setae; petiolar node cuboidal. Two species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL040:

Rasopone JTL041: petiolar node more scale-like.

Rasopone JTL042: mandible striate.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.29, HL 1.42, SL 0.95, PTL 0.63, PTH 1.07, CI 91, SI 73, PTI 59 (n = 1).

Biology - This species is known from one specimen, from a Berlese sample taken at 830 m elevation.

Rasopone JTL041
Geographic range.Colombia.

Diagnosis - Mandible smooth; anterior clypeal margin truncate, medial lobe concave; side of head with erect setae; petiolar node scale-like. Two species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL041:

Rasopone JTL040: petiolar node cuboidal.

Rasopone JTL042: mandible striate.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.32 (1.29-1.35, 3); HL 1.43 (1.40- 1.48, 3); SL 1.09 (1.07-1.12, 3); PTH 0.98 (0.98-0.98, 2); PTL 0.54 (0.52-0.55, 3); CI 92 (91-92, 3); SI 83 (82-83, 3); PTI 56 (55-56, 2).

Biology - This species is known from three sites in the Cauca region of Colombia, from montane forest habitat, 1,550-1,800 m elevation.

Rasopone JTL043
Geographic range.Ecuador.

Diagnosis - Very similar to Rasopone lunaris, differing in less rounded posterior face of petiole in lateral view; smaller size (mean HW 0.95 vs 1.11).

Measurements, worker: HW 0.95 (0.90-1.00, 2); HL 1.06 (1.00- 1.12, 2); SL 0.76 (0.70-0.81, 2); PTH 0.69 (0.69-0.69, 2); PTL 0.41 (0.39-0.44, 2); CI 90 (89-90, 2); SI 80 (78-81, 2); PTI 60 (56-63, 2).

Biology - This species is from wet forest habitat on the Pacific slope of Ecuador, 250-1,300 m elevation, in Berlese samples of forest floor litter.

Rasopone JTL047
Geographic range.French Guiana.

Diagnosis - Mandible smooth and shining; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head with short erect setae; petiolar node subcuboidal; face sculpture of dense, minute puncta overlain with larger, more widely spaced puncta visible in particular orientation and lighting. Two species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL047:

Rasopone lunaris: posterior face of petiolar node more rounded; face with uniform small puncta, not overlain with larger puncta.

Rasopone JTL048: smaller (HW 0.98 vs 1.21).

Measurements, worker: HW 1.21 (1.21-1.21, 2); HL 1.26 (1.26- 1.27, 2); SL 0.89 (0.88-0.89, 2); PTH 0.84 (0.81-0.87, 2); PTL 0.50 (0.48-0.51, 2); CI 96 (95-96, 2); SI 74 (73-74, 2); PTI 59 (55-63, 2).

Biology - This species is known from lowland rainforest sites, ˂ 800 m elevation, from Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood.

Comments - See under Rasopone lunaris.

Rasopone JTL048
Geographic range.French Guiana.

Diagnosis - Mandible smooth and shining; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head with short erect setae; petiolar node subcuboidal; face sculpture of dense, minute puncta overlain with larger, more widely spaced puncta visible in particular orientation and lighting. Two species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL048:

Rasopone lunaris: posterior face of petiolar node more rounded; face with uniform small puncta, not overlain with larger puncta.

Rasopone JTL047: larger (HW 1.21 vs 0.98).

Measurements, worker: HW 0.98, HL 1.10, SL 0.79, PTL 0.39, PTH 0.72, CI 89, SI 81, PTI 54 (n = 1).

Biology - This species is known from one specimen from a lowland rainforest site, 380 m elevation, from a pitfall trap.

Comments - See under Rasopone lunaris.

Rasopone JTL049
Geographic range.Colombia.

Diagnosis - Similar to Rasopone lunaris in most respects, differing in lack of erect setae on sides of head.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.19, HL 1.30, SL 0.92, PTL 0.52, PTH 0.85, CI 91, SI 77, PTI 61 (n = 1).

Biology - This species is known from one collection from a lowland rainforest site in Amazonian Colombia, from a litter/soil core collected by D. Castro. One worker and one alate queen were examined.

Comments - See under Rasopone lunaris.

Rasopone JTL042
Geographic range.Colombia, Brazil (Pará).

Diagnosis - Mandible striate; otherwise very similar to Rasopone lunaris.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.10 (0.94-1.23, 3); HL 1.22 (1.06- 1.35, 3); SL 0.87 (0.71-1.01, 3); PTH 0.80 (0.69-0.89, 3); PTL 0.43 (0.38-0.48, 3); CI 90 (89-91, 3); SI 79 (75-82, 3); PTI 54 (54-55, 3).

Biology - Two specimens are from the Santa Marta region of Colombia, one from seasonal forest at 260 m and one from montane forest at 1,300 m elevation. Both are from forest floor litter samples.

Comments - This species is a version of R. lunaris with striate mandibles. An old collection at MCZC is a pin with two workers labeled 'Para, Brazil, Beebe'. These specimens are a close match to the Colombian specimens, but given the geographic distance the similarity may be superficial and not reflect conspecificity.

Rasopone MAS010
Geographic range.Costa Rica.

Diagnosis - Montane; mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head bare or with a few inconspicuous short setae; petiole scale-like. Two species are within geographic and size range of R. MAS010:

Rasopone cryptergates: lowland; side of head with a few short erect setae; posterolateral margins of vertex somewhat more angular.

Rasopone costaricensis: larger, HW of the smallest measured specimen 1.09, versus 1.00 for both of the measured specimens of R. MAS010; petiole somewhat narrower (average PTI 53 vs 59).

Measurements, worker: HW 1.00 (1.00-1.00, 2); HL 1.13 (1.13- 1.13, 2); SL 0.79 (0.78-0.81, 2); PTH 0.70 (0.70-0.71, 2); PTL 0.41 (0.41-0.41, 2); CI 88 (88-88, 2); SI 80 (78-81, 2); PTI 59 (58-59, 2).

Biology - This species occurs in lower cloud forest.

Comments - This species is known from three specimens that form a DNA barcode cluster. One specimen is a male from Volcán Cacao, a cloud forest site (1,080 m) in the Cordillera de Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica. The other two specimens are workers from Las Pailas, a cloud forest site in Rincon de la Vieja National Park, about 20 km SE of the first site. One of the workers from Las Pailas was collected in a pitfall trap. We were able to examine the two workers.

The COI results place this species near three species from northern Central America and southern Mexico: Rasopone politognatha, R. JTL034, and R. JTL035.

Additional Resources

 * Rasopone
 * Rasopone Identification Guide