A NEW SPECIES OF PLATYTHYREA 
(HYMENOPTERA; FORMICIDAE) FROM COSTA RICA 1 
By Charles Kugler 
Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, 
Ithaca, New York 14853 
A new species of Platythyrea was found in the Field Museum 
insect collections too late to be included in Brown’s (1975) revision 
of the genus. Eleven workers were collected by Dr. John Wagner 
and Dr. John Kethley from berlesates at the La Selva Field Station 
of the Organization for Tropical Studies in Costa Rica. A formal 
description is offered herewith. Measurements are as defined in 
Brown (1975:3). 
Platythyrea prizo n.sp. 
(Figs. 1-3) 
Holotype worker: TL 7.54, HL 1.68, HW (behind eyes) 1.21 (Cl 
72), greatest diameter of eye 0.31, W across frontal lobes 0.28, scape 
L 1.50, ML 0.25, WL 2.66, forefemur L 1.60, forefemur maximum 
W 0.42 (W/L 26%), petiolar node dorsal view L 0.88, W 0.60 mm. 
Paratype workers: (10 from berlesate) All very close in size. 
Smallest and largest workers: HL 1.64, 1.72; HW 1.15, 1.23 (Cl 
70, 71.5); ML 0.23, 0.23; scape L 1.40, 1.47; greatest diameter of 
eye 3.0, 3.1; WL 2.58, 2.70 mm. At least one worker has 1 1, rather 
than 10 teeth on the mandible. Two ants from the same collection 
have 1-2 vestigial ocelli. Otherwise I detect no variation in sculp- 
ture, color or shape (aside from 1 callow worker). 
Mandibles (fig. 1) subtriangular, outer border straight at mid- 
length, gently convex at each end; masticatory border with large 
apical tooth and 9 smaller teeth, larger and smaller teeth alternating, 
but the series as a whole decreasing in size toward the basal border. 
A fine sulcus runs over the dorsal mandibular surface from near 
'A publication of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, New 
York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, A Statutory College of the State 
University of New York. Publication supported by the Grace Griswold Fund, De- 
partment of Entomology, Cornell University. I would like to thank Dr. W. L. 
Brown for critically reading the manuscript, and offering many helpful sugges- 
tions. 
Manuscript received by the editor February 25, 1976 
216 
