Rogeria tribrocca

Nothing is known about the biology of this species.

Identification
Kugler (1994) - creightoni species group. WL 0.62mm. Eye small, elliptical. Clypeal apron with three acute processes. Metapleural lobes very low, broadly rounded. Postpetiolar node widest in anterior half. Posterior edge of gaster T3 with median spine that seems to arise from a weak concavity. Sides of head smooth. Promesonotal dorsum with fine rugae diverging and branching from anterior pronotum, becoming weak on meso- and metanota; interrugal spaces rather wide. No erect hair on scapes or legs.

Both Rogeria curvipubens and Rogeria alzatei, have also been collected in Quebrada Susumuco or nearby Villavicencio environs. But they do not have a three-toothed clypeal apron or a median spine on the third tergum of the gaster.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia.

Castes
Only known from workers.

Nomenclature

 *  tribrocca. Rogeria tribrocca Kugler, C. 1994: 56, fig. 63 (w.) COLOMBIA.

Worker
Holotype Worker. TL 2.3, HL 0.61, HW 0.51, SL 0.40, EL 0.05 (7 facets), PW 0.36, WL 0.62, SpL 0.10, PetL 0.26, PpetL 0.13mm, CI 0.83, OI 0.10, SI 0.78, MHI 0.93, PSI 0.16.

One mandible with six teeth; the other with the penultimate basal replaced by two denticles. Nuchal groove forms a weak notch in lateral view of head. Pronotal shoulders seen from above subangular. Propodeal spiracles 1 diameter from nearest edge of infradental lamella. Ventral petiole somewhat obscured by glue, but probably with distinct keel and dentate process. Petiolar node narrow; nearly symmetrically rounded in lateral view. Postpetiolar node with broadly confluent anterior and dorsal faces and short posterior face. Postpetiolar sternum with perpendicular anterior corner and flat ventral profile; node in dorsal view widest in anterior half, as in Fig. 74. Sting shaft projecting from gaster acute, with low dorsal flange.

Laterodorsa of head longitudinally rugose-areolate. Posterior head with transversely arching rugae. Intervals with weak microsculpture. Dorsal face of propodeum with 3 weak transverse rugulae. Mesosoma sides with sparse, indistinct, longitudinal rugulae. Microsculpture on mesosoma even weaker than on head; interrugal spaces shiny, nearly smooth. Petiolar and postpetiolar nodes nearly smooth, shiny.

Mesosoma dorsum with eight pairs of erect hairs (some matted down); nodes each with two pairs of posterodorsally projecting hairs.

Color of body and appendages brownish-yellow; dorsum of gaster T1 slightly darker.

Type Material
Holotype locality. COLOMBIA: Meta Department, Quebrada Susumuko [or Susumuco], 23km NW Villavicencio, 1000m, forest litter, 5-III-1972, #B-234 (S. and J. Peck).

Etymology
The name tribrocca (brocca L., projection of teeth) refers to the three tooth-like projections of the clypeal apron.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fernández F., E. E. Palacio, W. P. MacKay, and E. S. MacKay. 1996. Introducción al estudio de las hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de Colombia. Pp. 349-412 in: Andrade M. G., G. Amat García, and F. Fernández. (eds.) 1996. Insectos de Colombia. Estudios escogidos. Bogotá: Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, 541 pp