Cryptopone guatemalensis

This species occurs in cloud forest habitats from 940-1800 m elevation. Most specimens are from Winkler samples of sifted leaf litter and rotten wood. Workers and dealate queens occur in litter samples. Males are frequent in Malaise trap samples (B. Boudinot, personal communication). Nests are often encountered in and under loose bark of rotting wood on the forest floor, and under epiphyte mats near the ground in old treefalls. Colonies are diffusely spread in multiple chambers. Lone founding queens are commonly encountered. There is no evidence of polygyny (in contrast to Cryptopone gilva). (Branstetter & Longino, 2022)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Panama.

Nomenclature

 * . Ponera ochracea r. guatemalensis Forel, 1899c: 16 (w.) GUATEMALA, NICARAGUA.
 * Type-material: neotype worker (by designation of Branstetter & Longino, 2022: 17).
 * [Note: Branstetter & Longino, 2022: 17, say that the lectotype worker earlier designated by Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 352, came from Florida, not from either of the original syntype series (Guatemala and Nicaragua), which they say are entirely lost.]
 * Type-locality: neotype Guatemala: Suchitepéquez, 4 km. S Vol. Atitlán, 14.54800, -91.19369±200 m., 1570 m., 14.vi.2009, #6709, cloud forest, rotten wood (J. Longino).
 * [Note (i): original syntype data: workers (number not stated) Guatemala: Aceituno (Champion), and Nicaragua: Chontales (Janson), material lost; (ii) Branstetter & Longino, 2022: 17, also nominate as ‘paraneotypes’ (a category not recognised by ICZN), 2 workers, 3 queens, 3 males, in CASC, MCZC, USNM.]
 * Type-depository: MHNG (neotype).
 * Combination in Pachycondyla (Pseudoponera): Emery, 1901a: 46;
 * combination in Euponera (Trachymesopus): Emery, 1911d: 86;
 * combination in Trachymesopus: Kempf, 1960f: 424;
 * combination in Cryptopone: Brown, 1963: 6.
 * Subspecies of ochracea: Emery, 1911d: 86.
 * Junior synonym of gilva: Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 352.
 * Status as species: Brown, 1963: 6; Kempf, 1972a: 90; Bolton, 1995b: 166; Branstetter & Longino, 2022: 17.
 * Senior synonym of obsoleta: Branstetter & Longino, 2022: 17.
 * Distribution: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua.
 * obsoleta. Euponera (Trachymesopus) obsoleta Menozzi, 1931d: 196, fig. 5 (w.) COSTA RICA.
 * Type-material: lectotype worker (by designation of Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 352).
 * [Note: several other syntype workers exist, perhaps best regarded as paralectotypes as all specimens were originally from a single series.]
 * Type-locality: Costa Rica: Vara Blanca, 2000 m., between Barba Volcano and Poas (H. Schmidt).
 * Type-depositories: NHMB (lectotype); IEUB, DEIM (paralectotypes).
 * Combination in Trachymesopus: Kempf, 1960f: 424;
 * combination in Pachycondyla: Brown, in Bolton, 1995b: 308;
 * combination in Cryptopone: Longino, 2006b: 135.
 * Status as species: Kempf, 1972a: 251.
 * Junior synonym of gilva: Longino, 2006b: 135; Mackay & Mackay, 2010: 352.
 * Junior synonym of guatemalensis: Branstetter & Longino, 2022: 17.