Pseudomyrmex eduardi

This species is known to nest in twigs but little else is known regarding its biology.

Identification
Ward (1989) - This species is easily recognized by its combination of small size (HW < 0.58), dark color, and smooth shiny appearance (especially on the head and mesosoma dorsum). The sculpture in the middle of the head between the compound eyes is particularly characteristic, consisting of very fine punctures and a few slightly coarser ones. All other species in the P. oculatus group have denser, coarser punctate sculpture on this part of the head.

Distribution
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, Venezuela

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Greater Antilles, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela.

Biology
Ward (1989) - I collected colonies of P. eduardi in dead twigs of Conocarpus erectus and Avicennia germinans in mangrove in Venezuela. Other biological collection data include: in tree fall, wet forest (Costa Rica), dead stem of beach tree (Manaus, Brazil), in rain forest (Huanuco, Peru).

Nomenclature

 *  eduardi. Pseudomyrma eduardi Forel, 1912g: 29 (w.) JAMAICA. Combination in Pseudomyrmex: Kempf, 1972a: 217. See also: Ward, 1989: 418.

Worker
Ward (1989) - measurements (n=11). HL 0.74-0.80, HW 0.50-0.57, MFC 0.009-0.018, CI 0.67-0.72, OI 0.53-0.59, REL 0.52-0.55, REL2 0.74-0.79, OOI 0.28-0.70, VI 0.79-0.86, FCI 0.017-0.032, SI 0.43-0.47, SI2 0.55-0.62, FI 0.46-0.53, POI 0.93-1.31, MPI 0.039-0.073, NI 0.52-0.64, PLI 0.79-0.92, PWI 0.62-0.72, PPWI 1.19-1.50.

diagnosis. Similar to Pseudomyrmex caeciliae (q.v.) in size, shape, and color; differing in sculpture - head largely smooth and shining, with scattered fine punctures which become coarser (but still somewhat effaced) in the region posterior to the compound eye; the punctulate-coriarious sculpture of the mesosoma is also somewhat effaced, producing rather strongly shining areas in the centre of the mesosoma dorsum and on the side of the propodeum: petiole, postpetiole, and gaster with a shinier appearance than in P. caeciliae, although still covered with moderately dense pubescence. Dark brown, the mandibles and tarsi lighter.

Type Material
Ward (1989) - Holotype (unique syntype) worker, Kingston, Jamaica (Forel) [Examined].

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bluthgen N., M. Verhaagh, W. Goitia, K. Jaffe, W. Morawetz, and W. Barthlott. 2000. How plants shape the ant community in the Amazonian rainforest canopy: the key role of extrafloral nectaries and homopteran honeydew. Oecologia 125: 229-240.
 * Brandao, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catalogo abreviado das formigas da regiao neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Rev. Bras. Entomol. 35: 319-412.
 * 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
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Forel A. 1912. Formicides néotropiques. Part IV. 3me sous-famille Myrmicinae Lep. (suite). Mémoires de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 20: 1-32.
 * Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Longino J. T., J. Coddington, and R. K. Colwell. 2002. The ant fauna of a tropical rain forest: estimating species richness three different ways. Ecology 83: 689-702.
 * Ward P. S. 1990. The Ant Subfamily Pseudomyrmecinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Generic Revision and Relationship to Other Formicids. Systematic Entomology 15: 449-489
 * Ward P. S. 1992. Ants of the genus Pseudomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Dominican amber, with a synopsis of the extant Antillean species. Psyche (Cambridge) 99: 55-85
 * Ward, P. S. 1989. Systematic Studies on Pseudomyrmecine Ants: Revision of the Pseudomyrmex Oculatus and P. Subtilissimus Species Groups with Taxonomic Comments on Other Species. Questiones Entomologicae 25: 393-468
 * Wheeler W. M. 1917. Jamaican ants collected by Prof. C. T. Brues. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 61: 457-471.