Azteca tonduzi Forel 1899

Natural History:

Azteca tonduzi is an inconspicuous species which nests in hollow dead stems and sometimes forms carton nests among epiphytes. The types were collected in orchid pseudobulbs (Forel 1899). In Costa Rica I have collected this species multiple times. A dealate queen was in a dead branch of Ficus werckleana, a colony inhabited dead branches of Terminalia catappa along a beach edge, a colony inhabited dead culms of Uniola (sea oats) at the edge of a mangrove swamp, and workers were in small carton nests over coccoid Hemiptera on a branch of Licania. The largest colony I have observed was in a mangrove swamp near the mouth of the Rio Llorona in Corcovado National Park. Workers were very abundant, nesting in bases of several species of bromeliads. On the mangrove branches and trunks there were carton shelters containing brood and coccoid Hemiptera. The colony spread across multiple trees of Avicennia and Laguncularia. Alate queens have been encountered flying during the day and occasionally at blacklights.

Costa Rica: widespread.

Azteca tonduzi Forel, 1899h PDF: 114 (w.m.) COSTA RICA. Neotropic. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

See also: Longino, 2007 PDF: 49.

Figures 3,4A,5,6D.

Azteca tonduzi Forel 1899:114. Syntype workers, males: Costa Rica ( Tonduz ) [ MHNG , MCZC ] (examined).

Queen characters. Measurements (n=5): HLA 1.16 (1.10-1.16), HW 1.19 (1.13-1.22), SL 0.76 (0.74-0.77), CI 103 (103-105), SI 66 (64-67).

Palpal formula 5,3; ocelli small; middle and hind tibia with prominent pectinate apical spur; dorsal surface of mandible with abundant piligerous puncta, setae in puncta fine, subdecumbent, interspaces between puncta smooth and shiny; medial and lateral clypeal lobes at about same level; head subquadrate, posterior margin nearly flat; petiolar node strongly compressed into thin scale at apex; posteroventral petiolar lobe shallow, evenly convex from front to back; scape with sparse erect setae, inconspicuous and only visible at certain angles, about as long as one quarter maximum width of scape; middle and hind tibia with moderately abundant erect setae, fine, inconspicuous, longest about as long as one fifth maximum width of tibia (MTSC 5-10); side of head with 0-5 short erect setae; posterior margin of head with moderately abundant short erect setae; pronotum with erect setae on posterior margin; mesoscutum and scutellum with sparse, short, erect setae, propodeum with similar covering of erect setae or with only a few erect setae concentrated at anterior margin; petiolar node rimmed with erect pubescence and 2-4 longer erect setae, posterior border of sternal lobe of petiole with tuft of short whitish setae; gastral terga with sparse erect setae; entire body light yellow brown to brown.

Worker characters. Measurements (n=7): HLA 0.76 (0.64-0.86), HW 0.77 (0.64-0.90), SL 0.58(0.49- 0.62), CI 102 (100-105), SI 76 (72-79).

Palpal formula 5,3; middle and hind tibia with prominent pectinate apical spur; dorsal surface of mandible smooth and shining, with moderately abundant small piligerous puncta; medial and lateral clypeal lobes at about same level; head with moderately convex sides, strongly cordate posterior margin; in lateral profile promesonotum forming single low convexity; scape with sparse, inconspicuous erect setae, length of setae about one quarter maximum width of scape; mid and hind tibia with moderately abundant erect setae, setae inconspicuous, longest about one quarter to one third maximum width of tibia; side of head with 5 or more fine, short erect setae distributed more or less evenly along side; posterior margin of head with abundant short erect setae; pronotum and mesonotum with abundant erect setae, those on dorsal face of propodeum fewer, shorter, and less erect; color light yellow brown to brown.

Similar species. The queen is distinguishable from other species by its small size. Workers are superficially similar to small workers of A. velox , A. nigra , A. flavigaster , A. gnava , and A. sericeasur , but differ in the palpal formula being 5,3 instead of 6,4.

Range. Costa Rica.

Biology. Azteca tonduzi is an inconspicuous species which nests in hollow dead stems and sometimes forms carton nests among epiphytes. The types were collected in orchid pseudobulbs (Forel 1899). In Costa Rica I have collected this species multiple times. A dealate queen was in a dead branch of Ficus werckleana , a colony inhabited dead branches of Terminalia catappa along a beach edge, a colony inhabited dead culms of Uniola (sea oats) at the edge of a mangrove swamp, and workers were in small carton nests over coccoid Hemiptera on a branch of Licania . The largest colony I have observed was in a mangrove swamp near the mouth of the Rio Llorona in Corcovado National Park. Workers were very abundant, nesting in bases of several species of bromeliads. On the mangrove branches and trunks there were carton shelters containing brood and coccoid Hemiptera. The colony spread across multiple trees of Avicennia and Laguncularia . Alate queens have been encountered flying during the day and occasionally at blacklights.

Comments. Azteca tonduzi is very similar to the South American A. jelskii (see Addendum).

Additional material examined. COSTA RICA : Heredia : Est. Magsasay , 10°24'N , 83°57'W , 200m , 1- 30 Apr 1991 ( M. A. Zumbado ) - queen [ INBC ] ; La Selva Biological Station , 10°26'N , 84°01'W , 50m , multiple dates and collections ( ALAS, J. Longino, R. Vargas C. ) - workers, queens [ INBC ] ; 11km ESELa Virgen , 10°21'N , 84°03'W , 300m , multiple dates in 2004 ( ALAS ) - workers [ INBC ] ; Limón : Hitoy Cerere Biol. Reserve , 9°40'N , 83°02'W , 200m , Dec 1990 ( G. Carballo ) - alate queen [ INBC ] ; Puntarenas : Llorona, Corcovado National Park , 8°35'N , 83°42'W , 5m , 16 Jun 1980 and 10 Aug 1982 ( J. Longino ) - workers ; Manuel Antonio Nat. Park , 9°23'N , 84°09'W , 20m , 27 Jul 1985 ( J. Longino, P. S. Ward ) - queens, males, workers [ UCDC ] ; same locality, 1- 30 Jan 1992 and 1- 30 Mar 1993 ( G. Varela ) - queens [ INBC ] ; Carara Biological Reserve, Estación Quebrada Bonita , 9°47'N , 84°36'W , 30m , 24 Jul 1985 ( J. Longino ) - dealate queen ; same locality, 1- 30 May 1990 ( R. Zuñiga ) - queen [ INBC ] ; same locality, 1- 30 Jun 1990 ( E. Bello ) - queen [ INBC ] ; same locality, 25 Jul 1985 ( P. S. Ward ) - worker [ UCDC ] ; Esterillos Este , 9°31'N , 84°27'W , 0m , 29 Jul 1985 ( J. Longino ) - worker ; Punta Quepos , 9°24'N , 84°10'W , 5m , 4 Jun 1989 ( J. Longino ) - alate queen ; 1.8mi WRincon , 8°42'N , 83°29'W , 4 Feb 1971 ( Donahue & Hogue ) - alate queen [ LACM ] ; Curu Wildlife Refuge , 9°47'N , 84°55'W , 5m , 29 Mar 1993 ( J. Longino ) - workers ; Tivives , 9°52'N , 84°41'W , 10m , 10 Mar 1991 ( D. M. Olson ) - worker .

[[ worker ]]. Long. 2.5 a 2.6 millim. Selon toutes les apparences monomorphe, car j'en ai recu un nombre considerable, avec des [[ male ]] et des nymphes, toutes de meme taille. Mandibules armees a leur bord terminal de 8 a 9 dents un peu inegales, mais les dents se continuent sur le borde interne, qui en a encore 3 ou 4. Mandibules lisses, luisantes, ponctuees, avec la base reticulee; bord externe fortement convexe. Tete assez cordiforme, a cotes convexes, aussi large que longue, assez fortement echancree, fortement retrecie devant. Bord anterieur de l'epistome convexe et avance au milieu, faiblement bisinue de cote. Yeux situes aux Jj- anterieurs. Les scapes depassent a peine l'occiput. Le thorax n'a pas trace d'etranglement, moins encore que chez l' A. delpini . Le pronotum est assez convexe devant, puis le dos du thorax est presque rectiligne en profil jusqu'a la face declive du metanotum, qui ne forme elle-meme qu'un angle tres obtus et arrondi avec la face basale (elle est tres faiblement inclinee). L'ecaille est tres basse et tres inclinee, plus basse encore que chez l' A. alfaroi , mais anguleuse comme chez l' A. bicolor , etroite. Pattes moyennes; stature d'un petit Tapinoma erraticum . Assez luisante, tres finement ponctuee. Pubescence jaunatre, formant partout un duvet tres fin, qui ne cache pas la sculpture. Pilosite dressee, jaunatre, tres courte, surtout sur les tibias et sur les scapes, espacee. D'un brun jaunatre sale, tres terne, presque sans couleur; tete et abdomen plus brunatres; pattes et scapes plus pales. Chitine delicate. Aspect d'un Tapinoma .

[[ male ]]. Long. 2.4 a 2.5 millim. Mandibules tres etroites et courtes, ne se rejoignant pas au milieu, n'ayant qu'une dent pointue au bout. Tete plus large devant que derriere, un peu plus large que longue, avec un bord posterieur et des angles occipitaux tres arrondis, mais distincts. Les yeux tout pres du bord anterieur. Antennes courtes. Scape aussi large que long. Premier article du funicule plus large que long. Les autres vont, comme chez les autres especes, en diminuant d'epaisseur et de longueur a partir du second. Metanotum a face basale tres courte et a face declive assez haute et longue. Valvules genitales exterieures larges a la base, acuminees; mais leur pointe est courte, triangulaire, poilue et depassee par le prolongement long et etroit des valvules moyennes ainsi que par les valvules interieures. Ailes faiblement teintees de brun. Le [[ male ]] a les caracteres typiques du genre. Moins pubescent que l'ouvriere; pilosite et sculpture comme chez elle. D'un brun fonce et sale. Thorax d'un brun jaunatre sale. Pattes, antennes et mandibules plus pales.

Hab. Costa Rica (Tonduz).

vivant dans les bulbes d'une orchidee, dans la foret, du cote de la frontiere colombienne. A. virens, Forel , est une espece voisine *.