New geographic distribution records of Liometopum apiculatum Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Central Northern Mexico

Data Records

The data in this occurrence resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 10 records.

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Rosas Valdez R, Berumen Jiménez M (2025). New geographic distribution records of Liometopum apiculatum Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Central Northern Mexico. Version 1.0. Pensoft Publishers. Occurrence dataset. https://ipt.pensoft.net/resource?r=liometopum_apiculatum_mexico&v=1.0

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Pensoft Publishers. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 0123241d-e036-4917-932a-9742e8802979.  Pensoft Publishers publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by Participant Node Managers Committee.

Keywords

Occurrence; Dolichoderinae; edible insect; escamolera ant; geographic range update; Nearctic region; Tapinomini; taxonomy; Observation; Occurrence; Dolichoderinae; edible insect; escamolera ant; geographic range update; Nearctic region; Tapinomini; taxonomy

Contacts

Geographic Coverage

The dataset includes new distribution records of Liometopum apiculatum Mayr, 1870 from nine localities across north-central Mexico, covering the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas. In Coahuila, specimens were collected in Saltillo. In Nuevo León, records were obtained from Galeana and Iturbide along the Matehuala–Linares highway. In San Luis Potosí, samples were collected in Mexquitic de Carmona (Milpillas). In Zacatecas, records were obtained from Cerro de la Bufa, Cerro de la Virgen, Panzacola, Ecoparque Centenario “Toma de Zacatecas,” Sombrerete, and Valparaíso (La Campana). The surveyed sites are located between approximately 22.25° and 25.16° N latitude, and 99.95° and 103.79° W longitude, at elevations ranging from 1173 to 2690 m a.s.l. The environments encompass arid and semi-arid regions characterized by xerophytic scrub, grasslands, and oak-pine forest transitions typical of the Chihuahuan Desert and adjacent mountain systems

Taxonomic Coverage

The dataset focuses exclusively on Liometopum apiculatum Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a widespread ant species native to North America. All specimens were identified based on morphological characters following specialized taxonomic keys.

Temporal Coverage

Project Data

This project aimed to document and update the geographic distribution of Liometopum apiculatum Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in central and northern Mexico. Field surveys were conducted during 2022 and 2023 across arid and semi-arid environments of the Mexican Plateau, Sierra Madre Oriental, and Sierra Madre Occidental. New occurrence records were obtained for the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas, representing first municipal records in several areas. The study also reviewed historical records from literature and biodiversity databases (GBIF, AntWeb, and GABI) to generate an updated distribution map of the species. This work contributes to the understanding of the species’ range limits and ecological flexibility, as L. apiculatum occupies a wide variety of habitats from pine–oak forests to xerophilous scrublands and even disturbed areas.

The personnel involved in the project:

Sampling Methods

At each locality, a single exploratory transect (approximately 300 m to 1 km in length) was established in areas with no previous records. Sampling sessions lasted approximately four hours and were conducted between 08:00 and 12:00 h, coinciding with the peak foraging activity of L. apiculatum. Worker ants were manually collected from vegetation, mainly tree trunks and the bases of cacti, in both open and closed vegetation areas. Ten worker specimens per site were preserved in 80% ethanol. Hand collection was used because L. apiculatum lacks a sting, allowing safe and selective sampling with minimal environmental disturbance.

Method step description:

1. Selection of sampling sites based on historical records and vegetation types suitable for Liometopum apiculatum nesting (oak forests, xerophilous scrub, and mixed vegetation). Establishment of a single exploratory transect (300 m–1 km) per locality in areas without previous records. Manual collection of worker ants from tree trunks, cacti bases, and ground vegetation between 08:00 and 12:00 h, following the species’ foraging activity peak. Preservation of ten worker specimens per locality in 80% ethanol. Dry-mounting of specimens and measurement of morphological traits using a Luxeo 4D digital stereomicroscope and LABOMED Pixel Pro 2.8 software. Verification of species identity using specialized taxonomic keys (Mackay & Mackay 2002; Fernández 2003; Del Toro et al. 2009) and comparison with type material photographs available in AntWeb. Geographic coordinates, altitude, and vegetation data were recorded for each collection event and validated prior to data publication. Voucher specimens deposited in the Entomological Collection of CIIDIR-IPN, Unidad Durango, under the catalog code CECD-HYM (Hymenoptera).

Collection Data

Additional Metadata