Lachnomyrmex

From Feitosa and Brandao (2008): Lachnomyrmex are most often encountered in the leaf litter of submontane wet forests. Despite our poor knowledge of the biology of the cryptobiotic Lachnomyrmex species, field observations allied to information recorded in museum specimen labels provide a first glimpse of the natural history of the genus. Nests are found in the ground, among rotten leaves, and inside fallen logs. Workers generally forage alone on the ground or in the low vegetation; apparently they do not recruit nestmates or form pheromone trails.

Identification
Key to Lachnomyrmex''

Distribution
Neotropical; the genus is restricted to the mainland (and Trinidad) from southern Mexico to northern Argentina (Feitosa and Brandao 2008).

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Biology
From Feitosa and Brandao (2008): Very little is known about the biology of these cryptic ants. Workers are frequently found in leaf litter and soil samples submitted to Winkler or Berlese extractors, but are never especially abundant within samples. When a dealate gyne is found associated with workers in 1m2 samples of leaf litter, normally it is found singly, which suggests that colonies are relatively small and apparently monogynic; workers and nests are extremely difficult to spot in the field, because the workers are very slow moving and well camouflaged; if there is any leaf-litter nest structure, it is destroyed during sifting, but our impression is that they do not construct any permanent nidal structure. Species of Lachnomyrmex apparently nest within the leaf litter, inside natural cavities of the superficial soil layers, fallen logs, and rotten wood, as evidenced by the large number of soil-covered individuals collected, from information recorded in specimen label data, and from observations of collectors. Workers forage alone, in the leaf litter and in the low vegetation, occasionally among epiphytes and moss, probably preying on small soft-bodied arthropods and possibly harvesting plant exudates.

Castes
No males are known for any Lachnomyrmex species.

Nomenclature

 *  LACHNOMYRMEX [Myrmicinae: Stenammini]
 * Lachnomyrmex Wheeler, W.M. 1910a: 263. Type-species: Lachnomyrmex scrobiculatus, by monotypy.