Subfamilies
Links
Jack Longino's Ants of Costa Rica
American Museum Social Insects website
William and Emma Mackay Ants of North America site
sF Myrmicinae Carebara
Proceratium are tiny uncommon ants of the litter which may be mistaken for Solenopsis subgenus Diplorhoptrum. Jack Longino's Carebara pages reviews its recent history and the inclusion of the former genus Oligomyrmex. Most of the images and text come fromt that site. The two species that I have collected in BCNM--urichi (formerly nevermani) and panamensis were both formerly Oligomyrmex. The three other, brevipilosa, inca, and reina may be there, based on a very patchy distribution that includes Costa Rica and some spot in South America. Again, this genus is uncommon in BCNM litter samples, but more common in our Amazonian samples. I suspect that further studies of the soil fauna will reveal them in higher abundance.
Litter--Antennae 9-segmented, so small it is hard to count the five segments between the two-segmented club and the larger first funicular segment; mesosoma strongly ankylosed; propodeal suture not impressed; propodeum short and sloping, without distinct dorsal face; petiole lacking anteroventral tooth; mesosomal and metasomal dorsa with abundant suberect pubescence, lacking erect setae or at lease these not clearly distinguishable from pubescence; color yellow.
Litter--Antennae 9-segmented, so small it is hard to count the five segments between the two-segmented club and the larger first funicular segment; mesosoma strongly ankylosed; propodeal suture not impressed; propodeum short and sloping, without distinct dorsal face; petiole lacking anteroventral tooth; mesosomal dorsum with about 4 pairs of erect setae, fourth abdominal tergite with abundant short erect setae; mesosomal and metasomal dorsa with underlying pubescence absent or so short and appressed as to be invisible; color brown.
Litter--.
Litter--Antennae 11-segmented; pronotal dorsum shallowly reticulate, not longitudinally rugose; hind tibia with short appressed pubescence, lacking abundant erect pilosity.
Litter--Antennae 11-segmented; pronotal dorsum longitudinally rugose; hind tibia with long suberect pilosity.
15Jan05--nevermanni is now urichi
Last Updated: 26Dec2004