Rogeria cornuta

Not much is known about this species but based on collection records it appears to be relatively common in wet forests in Central America.

Identification
Kugler (1994) - creightoni species group. WL 0.93-1 .02mm. Eye relatively small. Nuchal groove makes strong notch in lateral view of head. Propodeal spines very long (EL/SpL < 0.50); not inclined dorsad; distal portions subparallel with midline. Propodeal spiracles prominent, less than 1/2 diameter from edge of infra dental lamella. Metapleural lobes prominent. Petiole with little or no keel. Sides and posterior head strongly areolate; mesosoma predominantly rugose. Erect hair on scapes. Gaster T1 lacks decumbent hair.

Some Rogeria creightoni, also from Belize, have the same habitus as cornuta, including long, horizontal propodeal spines, but these creightoni members are much smaller (WL 0.63-0.71mm) and have abundant decumbent pilosity on the gaster T1. Other creightoni from La Selva, Costa Rica are the same size as the Rogeria cornuta holotype, but have shorter propodeal spines, slightly smaller eyes, and abundant decumbent pilosity on the gaster T1.

Key to Rogeria workers

Distribution
Mexico to Costa Rica

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico.

Castes
Queens have been collected in Guatemala but remain undescribed; males have not been collected.

Nomenclature

 *  cornuta. Rogeria cornuta Kugler, C. 1994: 65, fig. 45 (w.) BELIZE.

Worker
Holotype and Paratype. TL (3.5)-3.8, HL (0.80)-0.89, HW (0.73)-0.78, SL (0.55)-0.58, EL 0.10 (16-18 facets), PW (0.55)-0.60, WL (0.93)-1.02, SpL (0.25)-0.27, PetL (0.42)-0.45, PpetL (0.21)-0.24mm, CI 0.88-(0.92), OI 0.13-(0.14), SI 0.74-(0.75), PSI 0.26-(0.27), MHI (0.98)-1.02.

Mandible with 6 teeth; basal larger than penultimate basal. Clypeal apron medially emarginate; body of clypeus projecting slightly over apron. Posterior outline of head broadly and weakly concave. Sides of pronotum with anterior grooves for insertion of corners of head; shoulders from above angular. No meso- or metanotal grooves. Paratype promesonotal dorsum less convex and more angular in front and back than shown for holotype. Propodeal directed caudad so that a bisecting line would extend just below shoulder; distal half of spines curve inward, almost paralleling the midline. Postpetiolar node somewhat flattened on top; subtrapezoidal in dorsal view. Postpetiolar node of paratype lower in front than behind. Postpetiolar sternum long, not projecting anteriorly.

Head macrosculpture coarse (especially behind), with sharp ridges and shiny interstices. Longitudinal rugae on front break up at midlength of head and give way to a transversely arching areolate-rugose pattern on the posterior head. Laterodorsa confused rugose-areolate. Mesosoma macrosculpture also coarse with smooth interstices, but ridges are rounded. Anterior face of pronotum transversely rugose-areolate, pronotal disc longitudinally rugose to vermiculate-rugose (holotype). Mesonotum vermiculate-rugose with some cross-ridges. Pronotal sides areolate-rugose (holotype) or broken and confused; rest of sides confusedly longitudinally rugose with few connecting ridges. Anterior edge of Propodeum marked by a sharp transverse ridge. Petiolar node weakly areolate on sides and posterior; smooth along anterior and dorsal midline. Postpetiolar node weakly areolate on sirles; smooth along midline.

Scapes, head dorsum and tibiae with short decumbent and long erect-suberect hair. Hair on mesosoma and waist ranges from decumbent to erect and varies in length, but not clearly segregated into two distinct types. Hair on gaster erect-suberect.

Color dark reddish-brown, with lighter frontal clypeal area and ends of gaster; legs and antennae yellowish-brown.

Type Material
Holotype locality. BELIZE (British Honduras): 2.5 mi. S Belmopan, 4-VIII-1972, S. and J. Peck, #242.

Paratype locality. 1 worker, MEXICO: Chiapas State, Ocosingo, 2-VI-1967, J. M. Campbell.

Etymology
The name cornuta means horned, referring to the long, horn-like propodeal spines.