Eurhopalothrix floridana

Longino (2013): Deyrup et al. (1997) reviewed the status of E. floridana in Florida and described the male. The species was moderately abundant in hardwood hammocks throughout peninsular Florida but did not extend into the western panhandle. They speculated that the species could be exotic in Florida, and referred to a personal communication from W. L. Brown that the species occurred in Mexico. I have seen no material to verify the occurrence in Mexico, but J. Wetterer collected specimens on Mona Island, Puerto Rico, and D. Lubertazzi collected specimens along a roadside in the Dominican Republic. The biogeographic history of this species, in Florida and elsewhere, remains enigmatic.

Identification
Longino (2013): The specimens from Mona Island, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are nearly identical to specimens from Florida, although there is some variation in number of erect setae. On the two Mona Island specimens, one has a cluster of 2 setae on the face and one has 3. Both have the full complement of 6 setae on the promesonotum. On the two Dominican Republic specimens, one has a cluster of 3 setae on the face, 3 setae down one side of the promesonotum, and 1 seta on the opposite side, paired with the posteriormost. The other one has no setae on the face and 2 on the mesonotum. How much these patterns are due to seta loss is unknown, but the base number could be a cluster of 4 on the face, like Eurhopalothrix apharogonia, and 6 on the promesonotum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico.

Nomenclature

 *  floridana. Eurhopalothrix floridana Brown & Kempf, 1960: 207, fig. 34 (w.) U.S.A. Deyrup, Johnson & Davis, 1997: 183 (m.).

Additional References

 * Longino, J.T. 2013. A review of the Central American and Caribbean species of the ant genus Eurhopalothrix Brown and Kempf, 1961 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with a key to New World species. Zootaxa 3693, 101–151.