Acanthostichus sanchezorum

Found in subterranean tunnels at a depth of about 15 cms below the soil surface (MacKay 1985).

Identification
A member of the brevicornis species complex. This species is related to Acanthostichus brevicornis and Acanthostichus femoralis. It differs from A. brevicornis in that the spiracle is placed high on the propodeum. It differs from A. femoralis in that the scape is angulate near the apex and the dorsum of the petiole is smooth, but not strongly shining as in A. femoralis. Other characteristics which separate this species from A. femoralis include the larger size and darker color of the workers, the frontal carinae are farther apart and the posterior face of the propodeum is more concave.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia.

Castes
Known only from the worker caste.

Nomenclature

 * . Acanthostichus sanchezorum Mackay, 1985: 128, figs. 1-5 (w.) COLOMBIA.
 * Type-material: holotype worker, 8 paratype workers.
 * Type-locality: holotype Colombia: Meta, Villavicencio, 17.xii.1975, #669. (W. & E. Mackay); paratypes with same data.
 * Type-depositories: ICNB (holotype); ICNB, LACM, MCZC, MZSP, USNM, WEMC (paratypes).
 * Status as species: Brandão, 1991: 322; Bolton, 1995b: 54; Mackay, 1996: 165; Palacio, 2019: 586.
 * Distribution: Colombia.

Type Material
Worker, COLOMBIA: Meta, Villavicencio, holotype worker and 8 paratype workers (,, MHNC, , , ) (all seen).

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
 * Kusnezov N. 1978. Hormigas argentinas: clave para su identificación. Miscelánea. Instituto Miguel Lillo 61:1-147 + 28 pl.