PSYCHE 
Vol. 91 
1984 
No. 3-4 
BEHAVIOR OF THE ANT, PROCRYPTOCERUS 
SCABRIUSCULUS (H YMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE), 
WITH COMPARISONS TO OTHER CEPHALOTINES 
By Diana E. Wheeler 
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute 
Apartado 2072, Balboa, Republic of Panama 
and 
*Museum of Comparative Zoology Laboratories 
Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street 
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 
INTRODUCTION 
Cephalotini is a well-defined tribe of Neotropical, arboreal ants of 
exceptional appearance, containing about 1 10 species in 4 genera 
(Kempf, 1973). Cephalotines can be distinguished from all other 
ants on the basis of the proventricular valves, which are sclerotized 
and shaped somewhat like the head of a mushroom (Emery, 1888; 
Kempf, 1951). The unusually thick exoskeleton bears generous 
sculpturing that can include numerous striations, ridges, and 
flanges, as well as protective spines. The four genera have an unusu- 
ally complete array of worker caste systems for such a small tribe. 
The genus Procrvptocerus, containing 28 species, is typically 
monomorphic. Eucryptocerus also has a monomorphic worker 
caste, but contains only 3 rare species. In Cephalotes, workers typi- 
cally have a wide size range, and in Zacryptocerus, worker castes 
range from polymorphic to dimorphic and include the most highly 
modified soldier forms (Kempf, 1951, 1973). 
* Address for correspondence 
Manuscript received by the editor May 16, 1984 
171 
