''Acromyrmex coronatus'' is a New World ant of 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 ...

found in the wild naturally from

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

to Brazil and Ecuador. ''A. coronatus'' can be identified by the presence of median pronotal spines being usually present and distinct, occasionally reduced or absent, the head tapering behind eyes, and head width of less than or equal to 1.7 mm. This montane species is tolerant of cold, wet conditions, and colonies can be found in small clearings and gaps in dense

cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud c ...

. For example, on the north side of Volcan Barva, it has been found at 1100 m elevation, but not at 500 or 2000 m. On the Central Valley side, it has been collected at 1600 m at Zurqui. In the Monteverde area, it occurs in the community area, up to the highest ridges at 1700 m, and down to 800 m in the Penas Blancas Valley. In Monteverde, it is the main pest in gardens, and enters houses at night to cut bread, cabbage, or fruit that has been left out. The nests are often in or under a piece of dead wood, and often with a superstructure of loose, dead leaf fragments. They do not excavate soil very extensively, if at all. They may be arboreal at times, nesting in low branch junctions of epiphyte-laden trees. ''A. coronatus'' foraging is continuous at night, but diurnal foraging only occurs after recent rain. Following a heavy rain, diurnal foraging commences, followed by a gradual cessation over a period of a day or two. Periodic rains during the dry season initiate a short bout of diurnal foraging, but when the rains became more continuous, diurnal foraging becomes continuous. Thus, the lack of diurnal foraging during the dry season is a short-term response to immediate environmental conditions and not a long-term change in colony foraging behavior.

Nuptial flights Nuptial flight is an important phase in the reproduction of most ant, termite, and some bee species. It is also observed in some fly species, such as ''Rhamphomyia longicauda''. During the flight, virgin queens mating, mate with males and then l ...

are common in Monteverde, and the distinctively patterned dealate queens are often seen on the roads. Dealate queens have been observed out cutting leaves, suggesting the queens need to forage themselves to establish a colony.

Subspecies

*''A. c. andicola'' *''A. c. globoculis'' *''A. c. importunus'' *''A. c. panamensis'' *''A. c. rectispinus''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4676192 Acromyrmex Insects described in 1804 Hymenoptera of South America Hymenoptera of North America

Subspecies

See also

References