Megalomyrmex foreli

Megalomyrmex foreli
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Solenopsidini
Genus: Megalomyrmex
Species: M. foreli
Binomial name
Megalomyrmex foreli
Emery, 1890
Synonyms

Megalomyrmex latreillei Emery, 1890[1]

Megalomyrmex foreli (named after Auguste Forel) is a Neotropical species of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae.

Habitat and distribution

The species is known from Costa Rica south to Andean regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru. M. foreli occurs in moist to wet forest habitats, in mature and second growth forest. It typically occurs in mountainous regions; in Costa Rica collections are from 100–1200 m elevation. Workers are large, conspicuous ants that may be found foraging on the ground or on low vegetation. They are attracted to extrafloral nectaries and will tend Hemiptera for honeydew.[2]

In Central America, M. foreli is known from Costa Rica, where it is not common. Workers can be found on the ground and low vegetation as diurnal or nocturnal foragers.[2]

References

  1. Longino 2010, p. 37
  2. 2.0 2.1 Longino 2010, pp. 44–45