Daceton boltoni

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Daceton boltoni
Scientific classification
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Species:
D. armigerum
Binomial name
Daceton armigerum
Azorsa & Sosa-Calvo, 2008

Daceton boltoni is a Neotropical species of arboreal ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. The species occurs in Peru and Brazil and is similar to its sister species, D. armigerum .

Contents

Distribution

It seems to be exclusively canopy-dwelling [1] and is known to occur in Iquitos, Peru, and Manaus and Cotriguaçu, Brazil. [2] [3] D. boltoni is sympatric with D. armigerum. Although its known distribution is currently only two locations in the Amazonian forest, it is possible and indeed likely that D. boltoni shares a broadly overlapping distribution with D. armigerum. [4]

Description

The worker caste of D. boltoni shares many important character states with that of its sister species D. armigerum , including the heart-shaped head, the large eyes located on a low cuticular prominence, the number of apical mandibular teeth, and general habitus. Daceton boltoni differs from D. armigerum by the absence of a specialized row of thick setae on the inner (masticatory) margin of the mandibles; by mandibles that are slightly shorter and more stout, which could indicate differences in prey preferences between the two species; by a broad gap, when seen in profile, between the bases of the fully closed mandibles and the margins of the head capsule; by shallow depressions adjacent to and ventral to the mandibular insertions; by long and simple lateral pronotal spines; by a weakly impressed metanotal groove; and by subdecumbent to decumbent hairs on the tergite of abdominal segment IV. [4]

Behaviorally, D. boltoni appears to be very similar to D. armigerum . However, drop tests conducted at the type locality indicate that D. boltoni individuals exhibit weak and inconsistent aerial gliding behavior relative to those of D. armigerum. [4]

Gynes and males are unknown. [2]

Worker variation

Among the specimens studied in the original description, Azorsa & Sosa-Calvo (2008) documented some morphological variation, including: [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 Azorsa & Sosa-Calvo 2008, p. 36
  2. 1 2 Azorsa & Sosa-Calvo 2008, p. 35
  3. Vicente, Dambroz & Barreto 2011, p. 878
  4. 1 2 3 Azorsa & Sosa-Calvo 2008, p. 37