Rasopone

Longino, John T. & Branstetter, Michael G., 2020, Phylogenomic Species Delimitation, Taxonomy, and ‘ Bird Guide’ Identification for the Neotropical Ant Genus Rasopone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (2), No. 1, pp. 1-33 : 28

Rasopone JTL037

( Fig. 12 ; Supp Fig. S39 [online only])

Geographic range. Guatemala, El Salvador.

Diagnosis

Mandible striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head mostly bare, with a few erect setae posterior to eye; petiolar node subcuboidal. Three species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL037:

Rasopone ferruginea ( Fig. 11 ; Supp Figs. S12 and S 13 [online only]): anterior clypeal margin sinuous; petiole more scale-like.

Rasopone mesoamericana ( Fig. 12 ; Supp Figs. S19–S21 [online only]): petiolar node more scale-like.

Rasopone subcubitalis ( Fig. 10 ; Supp Fig. S32 [online only]): scape shorter (mean SI 84 vs 92).

Measurements, worker: HW 1.41 (1.39–1.43, 2); HL 1.59 (1.58– 1.59, 2); SL 1.30 (1.28–1.32, 2); PTH 1.06 (1.04–1.08, 2); PTL 0.54 (0.53–0.55, 2); CI 89 (88–90, 2); SI 92 (92-92, 2); PTI 51 (51-51, 2).

Biology

This species is known from two specimens, one from a 1,550 m elevation cloud forest in Guatemala, and one from a 1,760 m cloud forest in El Salvador. The specimens are from Winkler and Berlese samples of forest floor litter and rotten wood.

Comments

There are no UCE data for this morphospecies. COI data from the Guatemala specimen place it on an isolated branch in Rasopone .

Figures

Fig. 12. Distribution map, face view, and lateral view of petiole of Rasopone JTL030 (worker, Panama, CASENT0633075), R. JTL037 (worker, Guatemala, CASENT0625283), R. mesoamericana (holotype worker), and R. JTL029 (worker, Panama, CASENT0633053). On distribution maps, red dots are sites with UCE sequence data. Red boxes are type locality.

Fig. 11. Distribution map, face view, and lateral view of petiole of Rasopone ferruginea (worker, Nicaragua, CASENT0644264), R. JTL040 (worker, Colombia, MCZ-ENT00716609), R. JTL041 (worker,Colombia, MCZ-ENT00716614),and R. costaricensis form a (worker, Costa Rica, INB0003659312).On distribution maps, red dots are sites with UCE sequence data. Red boxes are type locality (type locality for R. ferruginea is ‘Mexico’).

Fig. 13. Distribution map,face view,and lateral view of petiole of Rasopone cubitalis (holotype worker),R.titanis (worker,Mexico,Chiapas,MCZ-ENT00716640), R.breviscapa (holotype queen),and R.rupinicola (worker,Colombia,face view MCZ-ENT00716589,petiole CASENT0217567).On distribution maps,red dots are sites with UCE sequence data. Red boxes are type locality.

Fig. 10. Distribution map,face view, and lateral view of petiole of Rasopone costaricensis form b (worker,Costa Rica,INB0003223929),R. JTL047 (worker,French Guiana, CASENT0645960), R. panamensis (worker,Costa Rica, CASENT0644252), and R. subcubitalis (holotype worker). On distribution maps,red dots are sites with UCE sequence data. Red boxes are type locality.