Octostruma iheringi (Emery 1888)

Octostruma iheringi is a widespread lowland species. In Central America it occurs in wet to seasonally dry habitats, in both mature and second growth forest, from sea level to about 800 m elevation. Almost all collections are from Berlese and Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood from the forest floor. Dealate queens occasionally occur together with workers in litter samples. An alate queen was taken in July 1997, in the lab clearing of La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, a lowland rainforest site.

Southern Mexico to southern Brazil, Jamaica.

Octostruma iheringi and O. pexidorsum are the only species with a pair of distinctive, long, extremely fine setae extending perpendicularly from petiolar peduncle, anterior to spiracle, and a similar but shorter pair of setae extending from sides of postpetiole. Octostruma iheringi has a rugulose face and sparse, inconspicuous ground pilosity. Octostruma pexidorsum has a punctate face and dense, wooly ground pilosity.

A cryptic inhabitant of forest floor leaf litter and rotten wood; lowland forests of Central and South America; one of the more common species in the genus.

Rhopalothrix iheringi Emery, 1888c PDF: 361 (q.) BRAZIL. Neotropic. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

[Misspelled as jheringi by Emery, 1894h PDF, in von Jhering: 385, Borgmeier, 1927c PDF: 121, Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187, and others.].Combination in Rhopalothrix (Octostruma): Emery, 1924f PDF: 328.Combination in Octostruma: Brown, 1949h PDF: 92.Status as species: Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 145; Emery, 1894h PDF: 385; Forel, 1895b PDF: 135; Emery, 1924f PDF: 328; Borgmeier, 1927c PDF: 121; Brown, 1949h PDF: 92; Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187 (redescription); Kempf, 1972b PDF: 169; Bolton, 1995b: 293; Palacio, 1997: 417 (in key); Wild, 2007b PDF: 34; Longino, 2013b PDF: 35 (redescription).Senior synonym of Octostruma godmani, Octostruma simoni, Octostruma spei, Octostruma wighti and material of the unavailable name Octostruma sulcata referred here: Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187.Senior synonym of Octostruma godmani: Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 169; Bolton, 1995b: 293; Longino, 2013b PDF: 35.Senior synonym of Octostruma simoni: Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 169; Bolton, 1995b: 293; Longino, 2013b PDF: 35.Senior synonym of Octostruma simoni spei: Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 169; Bolton, 1995b: 293; Longino, 2013b PDF: 35.Senior synonym of Octostruma simoni sulcata: Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 169; Bolton, 1995b: 293; Longino, 2013b PDF: 35.Senior synonym of Octostruma simoni wighti: Brown & Kempf, 1960 PDF: 187; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 169; Bolton, 1995b: 293; Longino, 2013b PDF: 35.