Pseudomyrmex

Pazmiño-Palomino, Alex & Troya, Adrian, 2022, Ants of Ecuador: new species records for a megadiverse country in South America, Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (e 20210089) 66 (2), pp. 1-15 : 10

Pseudomyrmex penetrator (Smith, 1877)

Figs. 19 , 21F

Material examined. Ecuador. Orellana: Parque Nacional Yasuní, 32 Km SSE Limoncocha , Km 39 Pompeya sur, 0.65713°S, 76.453°W, 216m, 1☿, 1994-01-23, Erwin, T. et al., fogging, ( MEPN), same information, except: 1☿, 1994-01-12, ( MEPN) .

Comments. This species is very similar to P.concolor Smith , differing primarily in overall body color; gaster, and usually mesosoma, petiole and postpetiole, dark brown; head brown or orange-brown; antennae, tarsi and tibiae lighter yellow-brown; petiole relatively lower, with a smaller subpetiolar process; and postpetiole relatively broader ( Ward, 1999). Pseudomyrmex penetrator is mutually associated with Tachigali spp. ( Fabaceae ), and exclusively depends on its food sources ( Ward, 1999). It is widely distributed in the east-central Amazon basin and the adjacent Guyanas.

Figures

Figure 19 Pseudomyrmex penetrator (Smith) (worker,MEPN 31858):A)profile,B) frontal view,C) dorsal view.Images by Vladimir Carvajal and Alex Pazmiño.Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 21 Geographic distribution of the species examined in the present study.