Myrmelachista osa, Longino, J. T., 2006

Longino, J. T., 2006, A taxonomic review of the genus Myrmelachista (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Costa Rica., Zootaxa 1141, pp. 1-54 : 42-43

Myrmelachista osa NEW SPECIES

Figures 1, 4, 7, 8, 9

Holotype alate queen: Costa Rica, Prov. Puntarenas, Rancho Quemado, Osa Peninsula , 8°42’N, 83°33’W, 200m , 15 Dec 1990 (J. Longino #2752) [ INBC, specimen code JTLC000006231 ].

Paratypes: workers and queens, from same nest as holotype, specimen codes JTLC000006232 - JTLC000006236 , distributed to MCZC, USNM, UCDC, LACM, BMNH.

Diagnosis

Worker with antenna 9-segmented, maxillary palpus 5-segmented, color yellow. Queen black; mandible punctatorugose; face smooth and shining; sides of head with short appressed to suberect pubescence, no longer erect setae; maxillary palpus 6-segmented; CI 79-84.

Worker

Same as M. flavocotea but with tendency to develop faint infuscated bands on gastral tergites.

Measurements: HL 0.518-0.521, HW 0.479-0.511, SL 0.256-0.265, EL 0.097-0.105, CI 92-98 (n=3).

Queen

Antenna 9-segmented; maxillary palpus 6-segmented; labrum short, bilobed, not covering mouthparts; dorsal surface of mandible punctatorugose; face and clypeus largely smooth, variably roughened anteriorly; in full face view, with abundant short suberect setae on rear and side margins of head, longer setae on posterolateral vertex; ventral surface of head with abundant short erect setae; scapes with abundant erect to suberect setae, longer setae subequal to width of scape; outer surface of hind tibia with abundant short subdecumbent setae, longer setae shorter than width of tibia; color solid black.

Measurements: HL 1.181-1.226, HW 0.971-0.997, SL 0.491-0.507, EL 0.283-0.303, OW 0.062-0.081, OD 0.173-0.185, CI 79-84, OI 28-31, OcI 5-7 (n=3).

Male

Unknown.

Etymology

The name refers to the Osa Peninsula, which is the type locality.

Range

Costa Rica. In Costa Rica it occurs at Rancho Quemado on the Osa Peninsula.

Biology

This species is known from mature wet forest at Rancho Quemado on the Osa Peninsula. I collected it from three different Ocotea nicaraguensis trees, and it appears to have a biology similar to M. flavocotea and others.

Material Examined

COSTA RICA, Puntarenas: Rancho Quemado, Osa Peninsula , 8°42’N, 83°33’W, 200m (J. Longino, 3 collections).