Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
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Additional images: minor worker, face view (large), lateral view (large), dorsal view postpetiole (large).
Identification
Minor worker: head length 0.45mm, head width 0.43mm, scape length 0.37mm, Webers length 0.52mm (n=1). Head rounded behind, with medial area flattened; mesonotal suture absent; propodeal spines medium length, erect; face and mesosoma uniformly foveolate; first gastral tergum smooth and shining; dorsal pilosity sparse (4 pairs of principal setae on promesonotum), medium length, flexuous; tibiae with both shorter subdecumbent pilosity and longer erect hairs; color orange.
Major worker:
La Selva specimen: head length 0.88mm, head width 0.85mm, scape length 0.41mm.
La Selva specimen: head length 0.89mm, head width 0.83mm.
Penas Blancas specimen: head length 0.92mm, head width 0.87mm.
Penas Blancas specimen: head length 0.95mm, head width 0.88mm.
Corcovado specimen: head length 0.87mm, head width 0.80mm.
Face largely punctatorugose, sculpture becoming weaker posteriorly (one Penas Blancas collection with posterior portion of face smooth and shiny); medial area between frontal carinae shiny with subparallel longitudinal rugae; hypostomal margin gently curved; median tooth small to absent; stout lateral teeth about one third distance from midline to recessed teeth flanking mandible bases (Figure); dorsal pilosity abundant; head with abundant, long, suberect setae projecting from sides of head in face view; first gastral tergum smooth and shiny.
Similar species: Pheidole JTL-143.
Range
Costa Rica (type locality), Mexico. Costa Rica (Atlantic slope to 1200m and southern Pacific lowlands).
Natural History
Occurs in mature wet forest habitats; nests in dead wood on forest floor, opportunistically in plant cavities, and under epiphytes; recruits to baits and extrafloral nectaries.
Selected Records
Winkler samples and/or baits from La Selva, Braulio Carrillo National Park to 1200m, Penas Blancas Valley, Corcovado.
Penas Blancas Valley: mature wet forest; nest in old dead trunk of a formerly Myrmelachista-occupied Ocotea tree.
Penas Blancas Valley: mature wet forest; nest in dead stem.
La Selva: nest in bulbous-based Tillandsia; fresh plant found lying on forest floor.
La Selva: mature wet forest; under epiphyte mats on old treefall.
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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