Species: Solenopsis jtl003

Distribution:

Costa Rica: throughout in wet forests, sea level to 1500m cloud forest.

Biology:

This species occurs in wet forest habitats from lowland rainforest to montane cloud forest. It occurs in Winkler samples of sifted leaf litter from the forest floor. I have observed and collected from only one nest. It was at the 1500m site of the Barva Transect (Finca Murillo), a cloud forest area. Along a stream edge I found a nest in clay soil of the stream bank. It was a 1cm diameter chamber about 10cm deep in the clay. The nest contained a single queen.

This species must routinely nest in the soil and forage in the leaf litter. Winkler samples frequently contain workers but I have never seen a queen in one. The only queen I have seen is from the one nest excavation. The queen is relatively distinctive and should be noticable if one occurred in a Winkler sample. This is in contrast to the similar JTL-005, whose queens are common in Winkler samples.

Taxon Page Author History

Specimen Data Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 176 times found in mature wet forest, 136 times found in montane wet forest, 43 times found in cloud forest, 14 times found in lowland rainforest, 1 times found in Puesto#12,297G, 10m, 1 times found in Puesto 4, 325g.,10m., 1 times found in Puesto3,335G. 10m., 1 times found in Puesto #03,333G,10m., 2 times found in wet forest, 1 times found in Puesto #08,06G,10m., ...

Collected most commonly using these methods or in the following microhabitats: 172 times miniwinkler, 131 times Mini Winkler, 58 times Winkler, 38 times Berlese, 2 times search, 12 times Lure/Bait, 5 times Pitfall, 1 times Bait, 1 times Baiting on ground, 1 times Fogging, 1 times Unknown, ...

Elevations: collected from 20 - 1680 meters, 669 meters average

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