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Issue: Vol. 1713 No. 1: 27 Feb. 2008
Type: Article
Published: 2008-02-27
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1713.1.4
Page range: 47–52
Abstract views: 37
PDF downloaded: 2

A new social parasite in the ant genus Ectatomma F. Smith (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ectatomminae)

Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Nazaré 481, 04263-000, Ipiranga, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Laboratoire d’Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée (CNRS UMR 7153), Université Paris-Nord, 99, Avenue J. -B. Clément, 93430, Villetaneuse, France Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Av. P.H. Rolfs s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Laboratório de Mirmecologia, Convênio UESC/CEPEC, Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau, C.P. 7, 45600-000, Itabuna, BA, Brazil Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45650-000, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
Instituto de Ecologia, A. C., Km 2.5, antigua carretera a Coatepec, A.P. 63, 91000, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Hymenoptera Ectatomminae Ectatomma tuberculatum Social parasitism Taxonomy Mexico

Abstract

Ectatomma parasiticum Feitosa & Fresneau, a new ant species socially parasitic on Ectatomma tuberculatum (Olivier), is described from gynes discovered in Apazapan, state of Veracruz, Mexico, and reared in the laboratory. Ectatomma parasiticum is the first social parasite described in the Ectatomminae. This species can be distinguished from its host by morphological and behavioral features characteristic of the inquilines known in other ant subfamilies including reduced size, thickened petiole, and agonistic interactions with host species.

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