Stenamma pelophilum

This is a rare species that inhabits montane wet forests from 1000 to 1800 m elevation. Most collections are from Winkler or Berlese extracts of sifted leaf litter. However, at Cusuco National Park in Honduras, I found two nests in a mud bank bordering a stream. The surface of the bank was rocky with an overlying layer of dense mud. The first nest was located by haphazardly cutting into the bank in an area where I saw lots of worker activity. This nest had a single chamber with about 35 workers and some brood. The second nest was located by following a returning forager. This nest had a nearly undetectable entrance (2 mm diameter) consisting only of a small hole, without any surrounding structure or excavated substrate. Behind the entrance was a very short tunnel leading to a single, small chamber. This contained 46 workers, some brood and a single dealate queen. When the nest chamber was disturbed, the queen immediately absconded out onto the clay bank followed by a series of workers carrying brood. Before excavation, foragers outside the nest were observed to be slow moving and solitary, similar to behavior in most other Stenamma species.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  pelophilum. Stenamma pelophilum Branstetter, 2013: 214, figs. 138-141 (w.q.) HONDURAS.