''Megalomyrmex adamsae'' is a
Neotropical species of
ants in the
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Myrmicinae
Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants, with about 140 extant genera; their distribution is cosmopolitan. The pupae lack cocoons. Some species retain a functional sting. The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes. The nests are permanent and ...
. ''Megalomyrmex adamsae'', known from
Panama,
is very similar to ''
M. symmetochus'', known from
Costa Rica
Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
to Panama.
Biology
''Megalomyrmex adamsae'' is a specialized social parasite of
Attini, like its close relative ''M. symmetochus''. Colonies cohabit nests with their attine hosts as "guest ants," feeding on fungal mycelia and attine brood. ''Megalomyrmex adamsae'' and ''M. symmetochus'' differ in host preference: ''M. adamsae'' is typically found in ''
Trachymyrmex
''Trachymyrmex '' is a genus of fungus-growing ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. The genus is mainly tropical in distribution, with most species being found in Central and South America.
The queens of the species appear to mate with only one ma ...
'' nests, ''M. symmetochus'' in ''
Sericomyrmex'' nests.
References
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Myrmicinae
Insects described in 2010
{{myrmicinae-stub