Brachymyrmex pictus

The colony of B. heeri var. basalis reported by Wheeler (1921) and Wheeler (1942) was small but nevertheless contained brood. It was found in hollow petioles of a small Tachigalia paniculata tree on the Puruni trail at Kartabi, Guyana. Several colonies of B. pictus subsp. balboae were found to be nesting in hollow twigs of Tripalis americana at Balboa, Panama (Wheeler 1942). No biological information exists on typical B. pictus, but it seems this species is arboreal.

Identification
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - The unique feature for B. pictus is a conspicuous color difference between the head and thorax, which are yellow and the gaster, which is black, or yellow with (a) black spot(s).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana , Jamaica, Panama , Peru, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 * . Brachymyrmex pictus Mayr, 1887: 522 (w.q.) BRAZIL (Santa Catarina).
 * Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893: 174; Forel, 1895b: 107; Mann, 1916: 473; Santschi, 1923b: 662; Emery, 1925b: 43; Borgmeier, 1927c: 142; Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 253; Kempf, 1972a 41; Bolton, 1995b: 82; Fernández & Ortiz-Sepúlveda, 2019: 729; Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 525 (redescription).
 * Senior synonym of balboae: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 525.
 * Senior synonym of basalis: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 525.
 * balboae. Brachymyrmex pictus subsp. balboae Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 253 (w.q.m.) PANAMA.
 * Subspecies of pictus: Kempf, 1972a: 41; Bolton, 1995b: 81.
 * Junior synonym of pictus: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 525.
 * basalis. Brachymyrmex heeri var. basalis Wheeler, W.M. 1921f: 166 (w.) GUYANA.
 * Subspecies of heeri: Santschi, 1923b: 666; Emery, 1925b: 42; Wheeler, W.M. 1942: 253; Kempf, 1972a: 39; Bolton, 1995b: 81.
 * Junior synonym of pictus: Ortiz-Sepúlveda, et al. 2019: 525.

Worker
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - (n = 1) HL1 0.43; HL2 n.a.; HL3 0.08; HW 0.38; SL 0.38; EL 0.11; WL 0.44; PnL n.a.; PnW n.a.; ML 0.09; MW 0.18; Indices CI 89.58; SI1 100.00; SI2 n.a.; OI1 26.83; OI2 28.57.

Head. Slightly longer than wide in full face view; posterior cephalic margin flat. Dorsum of the head has sparse appressed hairs. Clypeus with a rounded anterior margin and five long, erect hairs of which a single, usually conspicuous hair is near the anterior margin, two hairs are in mediolateral position, and two more near the toruli; other hairs on the clypeus are markedly shorter and appressed or decumbent. Toruli surpassing the posterior clypeal margin in oblique anterodorsal view. The scapes surpass the posterior cephalic margin by a length that is smaller than the maximal diameter of the eye; they have appressed hairs. Three ocelli present. Eyes are positioned on the cephalic midline and have 7–10 omatidia along their maximal diameter.

Mesosoma. Typically with two erect hairs on the pronotum and two on the mesonotum. The mesonotum is not inflated and does not bulge dorsally above the pronotum in lateral view. The mesometanotal suture is directly visible; however, there is no marked constriction between the mesonotum and metanotum, and as a result the metanotal groove is absent. Metathoracic spiracles widely separated in dorsolateral position, not protruding, and touching the propodeal suture. Dorsum of the propodeum flat and shorter than the propodeal slope. Propodeal spiracles circular, situated slightly ventral to the posterior propodeal margin, and slightly posterior of the middle of the propodeal slope. Legs with appressed and scattered hairs. Petiole short and inclined forward.

Gaster. With scattered pubescence and several scattered long erect hairs.

Color and sculpture. Body smooth and shiny. The head and thorax are yellowish, whereas the gaster is either totally black or yellowish with one or more black spots.

Type Material
Ortiz-Sepulveda et al. (2019) - Lectotype worker (: ANTWEB CASENT0915735) and para lectotype worker (NHMW; : USNMENT00758144; here designated): three workers [examined]. BRAZIL: Santa Catharina.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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