Ants of Zapotal, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

Report by John T. Longino, Michael G. Branstetter, The University of Utah; Jorge Valenzuela, Instituto de Ecología, Xalapa, Mexico. Student participants: Mario Augillar Mendez (Guanajuato), Brianna Bartholomew (Univ. Utah), Rhea Cone (Univ. Utah), Erika Alejandra Conti González (Guanajuato), Miguel Angel García-Martínez (INECOL), Kyle Gray (UC Davis), Dennis Infante (INECOL), Anamin Saraí Lizama Ramírez (Guanajuato), Jaqueline Ochoa Vega (Guanajuato), Madai Rosas Mejía (Guanajuato), Gabriel Somarriba (Univ. Florida).

This is a list of the ants of a patch of montane forest near Zapotal, 12km WSW of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, based on Project ADMAC sampling. This was a high-elevation site, 2000-2100m.

Project ADMAC carried out ant sampling at Zapotal from 11-12 July 2016. Sampling included two miniWinkler transects of 50 samples each (5 m spacing; red dots), maxiWinkler samples (yellow dots), and some hand collecting.

Specimen records have been uploaded to the AntWeb database and are periodically updated. Names in the species list are linked to individual specimen records on AntWeb, from which a link can be followed to the general species page. These specimens function as site-specific vouchers, whose identities may change. The species names in the list are static text on this page. Following the specimen link to AntWeb will allow one to see if the name has changed.

There are at least 15 species.

Ants were predictably inconspicuous and with low diversity at this high site. The litter was dominated by Hypoponera and Stenamma. Fulakora orizabana was present in 39 of the 100 miniWinkler samples. Temnothorax striatus and a Camponotus species were moderately abundant in the low arboreal zone. Myrmelachista were found in a branchfall. Pheidole, Solenopsis (thief ants), and Nylanderia - often abundant taxa at lower elevations - were very infrequent.

Adelomyrmex show interesting elevational zonation. One species occurred at this site, in 11 of the miniWinkler samples and in some of the maxiWinklers. At Aguita Fría, a site just a few kilometers away and 500m lower in elevation, this species did not occur, and three other species were abundant. The Cryptopone at this site appears to be a larger species, different from the smaller C. guatemalensis at Aguita Fría.

Ant List

Adelomyrmex JTL-023

Brachymyrmex

Camponotus JTL-062

Crematogaster opaca

Cryptopone JTL-002

Fulakora orizabana

Fulakora tropicalis

Hypoponera

Labidus coecus

Myrmelachista

Ponera exotica

Solenopsis

Stenamma connectum

Stenamma vexator

Temnothorax striatulus

Date of this version: 30 July 2017.