Megalomyrmex symmetochus

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Megalomyrmex symmetochus
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmecinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Megalomyrmex
Species: M. symmetochus
Binomial name
Megalomyrmex symmetochus
Wheeler, 1925


Megalomyrmex symmetochus is a species of ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It is endemic to Panama.

M. symmetochus was discovered by William M. Wheeler in late July of 1924 in the fungus gardens of the attine Sericomyrmex amabilis Wheeler, 1925 of Barro Colorado Island.

[edit] Description

head of worker and male, thorax + pedicel of worker, forewing of female
head of worker and male, thorax + pedicel of worker, forewing of female

Workers are 3 to 3.5 mm long, with small, feebly convex eyes, that are probably adapted to living within the dark fungal gardens of their host. Very small ocelli are only sometimes present. Workers are yellowish red, with mandibles, funiculi, the posterior half of the first segment of the gaster and the sutures of the thorax and pedicels brown. The tip of the gaster is yellowish.

The female is almost 4 mm long. She has larger eyes than the workers and distinct ocelli. Otherwise, they look very similar to workers. Each ocellus has a black margin internally. The wings are yellowish hyaline and iridescent, with veins and pterostigma pale yellow. The membranes of the wings are distinctly pubescent.

Males are almost 3 mm long. They bear very large eyes and ocelli. Their body form is very similar to that of workers and females, but with smooth sides of the thorax. The wings have longer pubescence that in the female. Males are brownish yellow, with a little darker gaster and slightly paler antennae and legs. The eyes and a spot along the inner border of each ocellus are black.

[edit] References

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