= Pheidole JTL-079
Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Identification
Minor worker: head length 0.62mm, head width 0.50mm, scape length 0.73mm, Webers length 0.80mm (n=1). Head evenly rounded behind, without vertex collar; promesonotal and metanotal grooves well impressed; propodeal spines short; face smooth and shiny; pronotum smooth and shiny; mesonotum smooth and shiny dorsally, foveolate on sides; propodeum foveolate dorsally and on sides; gaster smooth and shiny; dorsal pilosity moderately abundant, short, some setae on promesonotum branched at apex; color dark brown.
Major worker: head length 1.04mm, head width 0.99mm, scape length 0.75mm (n=1). Face shiny throughout; space between eye, frontal carina, and mandibular insertion longitudinally rugose, remainder of face smooth; scapes abruptly bent at base, grossly thickened along full length; hypostomal margin with pair of widely-spaced teeth, each tooth sharp and needle-like, located near small recessed tooth flanking mandible; dorsal setae erect, flexuous; abundant suberect setae projecting from sides of head in face view.
Range
Costa Rica: lowlands of both slopes.
Natural History
This species occurs in open, highly disturbed habitats. It nests in the soil and under stones.
Selected Records
Corcovado National Park (Sirena): at baits.
Corcovado National Park (Sirena): young second growth vegetation; nest in trail being raided by Nomamyrmex; Phoridae hovering above the raid.
Volcan Arenal: edge of old lava field; boulders and sand; little vegetation; populous colony under stone in narrow strip of grass in otherwise barren zone.
25km NW Cahuita: coconut strand along beach edge.
Page authors:
John T. Longino, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505 USA. longinoj@evergreen.edu
Stefan Cover, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA 02138 USA. scover@oeb.harvard.edu
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