Technomyrmex fulvus

The types were collected from under a flat carton shed on the trunk of a sapling in company with coccids. The discovery of this species was initially seen as a biogeographic anomaly (Shattuck 1992a). The finding of two extinct species in Dominican amber (Brandão et al. 1999) and the description of Technomyrmex gorgona, confirmed the native status of Technomyrmex in the New World.

Identification
Fernández and Guerrero (2008) - Its uniform yellow body color immediately distinguishes it from any other native or tramp species of Technomyrmex that are likely to be encountered in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions.

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

Nomenclature

 *  fulvus. Tapinoma fulvum Wheeler, W.M. 1934g: 184 (w.) PANAMA. Combination in Technomyrmex: Shattuck, 1992c: 161. Senior synonym of sublucidum: Bolton, 2007a: 120.
 * sublucidum. Tapinoma fulvum subsp. sublucidum Wheeler, W.M. 1934g: 185 (w.) PANAMA. Combination in Technomyrmex: Shattuck, 1992c: 161. Junior synonym of fulvus: Bolton, 2007a: 120.

Worker
Length 3-3.3 mm.

Head nearly as broad as long, broader behind than in front, with distinctly and broadly concave posterior border; sides convex behind; cheeks straight or slightly concave. Eyes moderately large, convex, shorter than their distance from the corners of the clypeus, which is large and broad, somewhat flattened in the middle, its anterior border with a feebly sinuate but not projecting median area, separated on each side by a minute notch from the straight anterolateral border. Frontal carinae well-developed, farther apart than their distance from the lateral borders, arcuate and posteriorly diverging outward towards the middle of the eyes. Frontal area obsolete. Antennae long and rather slender; scapes reaching nearly one-fourth their length beyond the posterior border of the head; funiculi thickened as usual towards the tip; first joint fully three times as long as broad; joints 2-10 subequal, nearly one and one-half times as long as broad, terminal joint rather acutely pointed, as long as the two preceding joints together. Mandibles stout and convex, decussating when closed, their terminal borders broad, with 5 or 6 larger apical teeth and 6 or 7 basal denticles. Thorax stout but much narrower than the head; pronotum broader than long, convex dorsally and laterally; mesonotum nearly one and one-half times as long as broad, rounded and convex in front where it rises distinctly above the pronotum, concave behind and descending to the unusually deep mesoepinotal impression with its prominent spiracles; epinotum longer than broad, also with prominent spiracles; its base convex and rising obliquely and abruptly upward and backward from the impression and curving into the straight, sloping declivity, which is fully twice as long as the base. Petiole regularly elliptical, flat above, with thickened anterior border representing the vestigial node, ventral surface convex. Gaster large, with pointed tip, its anterior segment overlying and concealing the petiole and with a concave area for its reception. Legs moderately long.

Opaque throughout, very finely, densely and indistinctly punctulate and irregularly shagreened; mandibles also with sparse, coarser punctures.

Hairs on mandibles rather long, white and subappressed, on pronotum and gaster somewhat brownish, long, sparse and erect, arising from minute dark brown dot-like insertions, shorter on the epinotum. Pubescence glistening white, short, subappressed, most distinct on the cheeks, vertex, epinotum, gaster and appendages but not concealing the surface.

Rich fulvous yellow; petiole, gaster and legs paler yellow, the gaster with an anteriorly ill-defined pale brown band near the posterior border of each segment; mandibular teeth deep reddish brown.

Type Material
Described from numerous specimens taken from under a flat carton shed on the trunk of a sapling in company with coccids, on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, June 21, 1924.