Hylomyrma plumosa Pierce, Branstetter & Longino, 2017

Ulysséa, Mônica Antunes, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical ant genus Hylomyrma Forel, 1912 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae), with the description of fourteen new species, Zootaxa 5055 (1), pp. 1-137 : 89-90

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5055.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C00259C2-CB84-42EA-AB16-38DD47153DC6

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5589168

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/4A4D4F09-FFF0-FFF1-F0A5-F494FA85FAE8

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Hylomyrma plumosa Pierce, Branstetter & Longino, 2017
status

 

Hylomyrma plumosa Pierce, Branstetter & Longino, 2017

Figures 58 View FIGURE 58 , 80F, 80K View FIGURE 80 , 85 View FIGURE 85 (map)

Hylomyrma plumosa Pierce, Branstetter & Longino, 2017: 138 (W). Holotype: COSTA RICA: Limón: Res. Biol. Hitoy-Cerere , 9.66480 -83.02346 ± 10 m, 250 m [a.s.l.], 10 June 2015, [Project] ADMAC [collection code] #Wa-E-02-2-38, tropical rainforest, ex sifted leaf litter (1W) ( CASENT0638700 ) [ CASC] [examined by image]. GoogleMaps Paratypes: same data as holotype (1W) ( CASENT0638687 ) [ MCZC] [not examined] GoogleMaps ; (1W) ( CASENT0638688 ) [ UCD] [not examined] ; (1W) ( CASENT0638693 ) [ UCR] [not examined] ; (1W) ( CASENT0638697 ) [ USNM] [not examined] ; (1W) ( CASENT0638703 MZSP67408 View Materials ) [ MZSP] [examined] ; (8W) ( CASENT0638720 , CASENT0638701 , CASENT0638725 , CASENT0638698 , CASENT0638700 , CASENT0638722 , CASENT0638724 , CASENT0638735 ) [ JTLC] [not examined].

Worker ( Fig. 58 View FIGURE 58 A-C) Diagnosis. Mesosoma and petiole covered with thin striae (microsculpture) superimposed on irregular and thick striae (macrosculpture), interspaces between thinner striae indistinguishable; conspicuous and trifid setae.

QUEEN Unknown.

MALE Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a reference to the distinctive branched setae of this species.

Comments. Hylomyrma plumosa is identified based on the conspicuous and trifid setae ( Fig. 80K View FIGURE 80 ). This species resembles H. versuta , described by Kempf (1973) as “long hairs, pointed at tip, gently curved on petiole and postpetiole”. However, the types of H. versuta and additional examined material comprise specimens with unbranched and branched setae. The branched setae of H. versuta , mostly present on the petiole, postpetiole, and gaster, are composed of a variable number of short branches with similar size ( Fig. 80F View FIGURE 80 ). These branched setae are not conspicuous as in H. longiscapa , H. plumosa , and H. transversa , being better observed in SEM images.

Hylomyrma plumosa and H. versuta are locally sympatric ( Figs. 85 View FIGURE 85 , 88 View FIGURE 88 ), having been collected in the same sample (ALAS #03/WF/02/) near La Virgen (300 m), and in different samples ( H. plumosa #AMI-1-W-006-01, and H. versuta #AMI-1-W-006-05) from the La Selva Biological Station (50 m); both locations in Heredia Province, Costa Rica. The two species have very similar body sculpture. The difference between them is very subtle: the propodeum is laterally covered by thin striae (microsculpture) with indistinguishable interspaces superimposed on irregular and thick striae (macrosculpture) in Hylomyrma plumosa , whereas H. versuta presents thin striae (microsculpture) with indistinguishable interspaces between irregular and thick striae (macrosculpture). Initially, we understood that H. plumosa and H. versuta belonged to a continuum of variation due to their body sculpture similarity, variable setae, and co-occurrence. But molecular data show H. plumosa as sister to the H. cf. dentiloba sp.2 (the true H. dentiloba )– H. versuta clade ( Pierce et al. 2017). In this scenario, we have decided to maintain all three species as valid until additional evidence is gathered. Further investigative approaches using UCEs should include representatives of all the variation found in these taxa (or nominal species).

Distribution. Hylomyrma plumosa occurs in Costa Rica ( Fig. 85 View FIGURE 85 ).

Natural history. This species occurs in wet forests at elevations between 50 and 300 m. Seventeen specimens were collected in the leaf-litter, which suggests that this species nests in fallen logs, rotten wood, between leaves, or inside natural cavities of the superficial soil layers.

Additional material examined (4 workers): COSTA RICA: Heredia : 11km ESE La Virgem, 10.35, -84.05 + 2km, 300m, 10.iv.2004, ALAS #03/WF/02/all montane wet forest, ex sifted leaf litter (1W) [ MZSP]; La Selva, E. O Wilson col., 19.iii.85 (1W) [ MCZC]; La Selva Biological Station , 10.41639, -84.02 + 500m, 50m, 16.iii.2004, TEAM #AMI-1-W-006-01, mature wet forest, ex sifted leaf litter (2W) ( MZSP67470 View Materials , MZHY84) [ MZSP] .

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Hylomyrma

Loc

Hylomyrma plumosa Pierce, Branstetter & Longino, 2017

Ulysséa, Mônica Antunes 2021
2021
Loc

Hylomyrma plumosa

Pierce, M. & Branstetter, M. G. & Longino, J. T. 2017: 138
2017
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