Brown and Wilson (1959) summarize the genus as follows: "Widespread in tropics and warm temperate areas. Primarily forest-dwelling; some species occur in grassland and arid scrub. ... Nests mostly in soil and rotting wood; a few species live in arboreal plant cavities in tropical rain forest. Foraging hypogaeic to epigaeic-arboreal. Food: most species are collembolan feeders; a few are polyphagous predators or occasionally feed on sugary substances..."
Members of the genus are all predaceous, with a kinetic mode of attack (Bolton 1999).
Regarding the species marginiventris, Brown (1962) states "Nests in the soil, often in paths or other openings, in rain forest or plantations, and the workers forage over the open ground among leaves or herbs by day as well as night. Common on Barro Colorado Island [Panama]"
I have never encountered this species in Winkler samples from Costa Rica. My collecting is biased toward closed canopy mature forest, where there is a litter layer. This supports Brown's observations that this species prefers open areas and synanthropic habitats.
Costa Rica (southern Pacific lowlands) to northern Colombia.
Taxonomic history
Brown, 1958e PDF: 127 (q.).Raised to species: Brown, 1958e PDF: 126.See also: Bolton, 2000: 543.
