Species: Acropyga exsanguis

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2013)

Distribution:

This species has a wide distribution, ranging from central Mexico to northern Argentina. Costa Rica: throughout country to 1400m.

Biology:

Natural History:

This species inhabits a variety of habitats including lowland rainforest, seasonal dry forest, and montane wet forest. It is most often encountered by looking under stones in moist areas or by sifting leaf litter from the forest floor (Winkler samples).

Twice during the wet season at La Selva Biological Station, 4-Nov-1991 and 22-Oct-1991, Longino observed massive mating swarms of males. While walking from the bridge to the dining hall at dusk, swirling clouds of males were forming above every small shrub in the grassy clearing around the station buildings. Even in the dining hall itself, small groups of males were forming aggregations above the white plates set out on the tables.

Even though Acropyga appear to be relatively rare ants when relying on common collecting methods such as manual search or litter sifting, the great clouds of flying males belie their true abundance in the habitat. Acropyga are entirely subterranean ants that live in the soil, a notoriously difficult microhabitat to sample.

Taxon Page Author History

Specimen Data Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 59 times found in mature wet forest, 29 times found in tropical moist forest, 24 times found in tropical rainforest, 21 times found in 2º lowland tropical rainforest, 10 times found in mesophyll forest, 10 times found in 2º lowland rainforest, 9 times found in montane wet forest, 8 times found in lowland rainforest, 1 times found in Puesto10, 0g, 10m., 6 times found in tropical moist forest at night, ...

Collected most commonly using these methods or in the following microhabitats: 127 times MiniWinkler, 24 times Berlese, 28 times MaxiWinkler, 15 times Mini Winkler, 5 times search, 6 times Night MiniWinkler, 5 times Baiting, 3 times Winkler, 1 times Blacklight, 2 times Malaise, 1 times Search & Berles, ...

Elevations: collected from 30 - 1660 meters, 286 meters average

4 Specimens Imaged | View All 295 Specimens for this species

CASENT0249918

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CASENT0609912

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CASENT0903182

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INBIOCRI001253903

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