Holcoponera strigata

A dweller of wet montane transandean forests, commonly taken in leaf litter samples.

Identification
A member of the strigata complex (in the strigata subgroup of the striatula species group). Roughly costate; anterior postpetiolar surface fairly flat and with 3-4 transverse costae; abundant long, subdecumbent and suberect hairs on body. Aside from aspects covered by Kempf & Brown (1968), other characters that vary are the size of the propodeal spiracle, costulation of the propodeal declivity and the shape of the node. (Lattke 1995)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Suriname.

Biology
Longino, Ants of Costa Rica - This is the most common Gnamptogenys species above 500m elevation in wet forest leaf litter. It occurs at lower elevations (e.g. La Selva) but is less common there. It is frequently encountered foraging on the ground at night, and is common in samples of sifted leaf litter (Winkler samples). It nests in and under dead wood on the ground, under stones, and in soil. It may be polygynous: I observed a nest in Monteverde with two dealate queens. Observations of prey items include lepidopteran larvae, isopods, diptera (adults and larvae), and beetle larvae.

Nest observation from Guanacaste Province, Cerro Cacao: I discovered a nest in the soil of a steep bank at the side of a trail. Many workers were out foraging, and several workers were observed dragging a dead Camponotus albicoxis to the nest. I excavated the nest; it extended no more than 10cm horizontally back into the bank. There were several irregular galleries and chambers. One major chamber contained the queen.

Nomenclature

 *  strigata. Polyrhachis strigata Norton, 1868c: 4 (w.) MEXICO. Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1964b: 450 (l.). Combination in Ectatomma (Holcoponera): Emery, 1892b: 167; in Holcoponera: Emery, 1911d: 41; in Gnamptogenys: Brown, 1958g: 229. Senior synonym of concentrica: Dalla Torre, 1893: 26; Emery, 1896g: 44 (in key); of simplex (and its junior synonyms foreli, satzgeri, spurium): Kempf & Brown, 1968: 90. See also: Lattke, 1995: 187.
 * satzgeri. Ectatomma (Holcoponera) satzgeri Forel, 1908b: 39 (w.q.) COSTA RICA. Combination in Holcoponera: Emery, 1911d: 40. Subspecies of simplex: Santschi, 1929h: 461. Junior synonym of simplex: Brown, 1956b: 490.
 * simplex. Ectatomma (Holcoponera) simplex Emery, 1896g: 46, pl. 1, fig. 7 (w.q.) COSTA RICA. Combination in Holcoponera: Emery, 1911d: 40; in Gnamptogenys: Brown, 1958g: 229. Senior synonym of foreli, satzgeri, spurium: Brown, 1956b: 490. Junior synonym of strigata: Kempf & Brown, 1968: 90.
 * spurium. Ectatomma (Holcoponera) simplex subsp. spurium Forel, 1908b: 39 (w.) GUATEMALA. Combination in Holcoponera: Emery, 1911d: 40. Junior synonym of simplex: Brown, 1956b: 490.
 * concentrica. Gnamptogenys concentrica Mayr, 1870b: 964 (w.) MEXICO. Combination in Ectatomma (Holcoponera): Mayr, 1887: 540. Junior synonym of strigata: Dalla Torre, 1893: 26; Emery, 1896g: 44 (in key).
 * foreli. Holcoponera simplex st. foreli Santschi, 1929h: 460, fig. 34 (w.m.) COSTA RICA. Junior synonym of simplex: Brown, 1956b: 490.