Pheidole ruida Wilson 2003

Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia

worker face view

worker lateral view

major face view

major lateral view

Additional images: minor worker, dorsal view of postpetiole (large); hind tibia (large); major worker, dorsal view of postpetiole (large).

Identification

Minor worker: head length 0.41mm, head width 0.38mm, scape length 0.32mm, Webers length 0.46mm (n=1). Head flattened behind; mesonotal suture absent; propodeal spines medium length; face and mesosoma uniformly foveolate; first gastral tergum smooth and shining; about 16-20 setae on promesonotal dorsum, medium length, flexuous; setae on gastral dorsum medium length, somewhat stiff; hind tibia with or without long erect setae in addition to underlying suberect pubescence; color red brown.

Major worker: head length 0.78mm, head width 0.75mm, scape length 0.34mm (n=1). Face rugose foveolate throughout; rugae reticulate on posterior half, increasingly longitudinal and subparallel on anterior half; hypostomal margin gently curved; median tooth small; lateral teeth pointed, stout, about one third distance from midline to recessed teeth flanking mandible bases (Figure); dorsal pilosity abundant; head with abundant suberect setae projecting from sides of head in face view.

Contrast to JTL-104 and JTL-143: major worker with head relatively thinner dorsoventrally (seen in lateral view of head); major worker postpetiole transverse, with triangular projections; postpetiole more trapezoidal in JTL-104 and JTL-143.

Range

Costa Rica (Atlantic and southern Pacific slopes to 1600m).

Natural History

Inhabits mature wet forest (including cloud forest); occurs in leaf litter on forest floor; recruits to baits on forest floor.

Selected Records

Winkler samples from La Selva, Braulio Carrillo to 900m, Turrialba, Hitoy Cerere, Monteverde, Penas Blancas Valley, Carara, Manuel Antonio, Corcovado, San Vito.


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


Date of this version: 21 March 2007.
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