Sphinctomyrmex stali
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| Sphinctomyrmex stali | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sphinctomyrmex stali worker from Brazil | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Genus: | Sphinctomyrmex |
| Species: | S. stali |
| Binomial name | |
| Sphinctomyrmex stali Mayr, 1866 | |
Sphinctomyrmex stali (named after the Swedish entomologist Carl Stål) is a Neotropical species of ants in the subfamily Dorylinae. Mayr described the genus Sphinctomyrmex with S. stali as its type species, based on a single dealate gyne.[1] However, except for the holotype, there are no records of normal (alate) gynes for S. stali. All reproductive females collected after the original description are ergatoids.[2]
Sphinctomyrmex stali is known from sparse localities along the southeastern portion of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, from Santa Catarina to southern Bahia. Recent collections suggest that this species can be most commonly found in submontane forests (above 600 m) of the states of Santa Catarina and São Paulo, from whence come most of the specimens in collections.[2]
In a single leaf-litter sample collected in São Bonifácio, Santa Catarina, six workers and two ergatoid gynes very similar to the workers, were captured, which suggests that S. stali is polygynous, as already described for other Sphinctomyrmex species.[2]
