Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
|
|
|
|
|
|
Identification
Minor worker: head length 0.73mm, head width 0.62mm, scape length 0.80mm, Webers length 0.92mm (n=1). Head evenly rounded behind, without vertex collar; promesonotal and metanotal grooves well impressed; propodeal spines of moderate length; face smooth and shiny; pronotum punctatorugose with smooth and shiny patch posterolaterally; mesonotum and propodeum foveolate dorsally and on sides; gaster smooth and shiny; dorsal pilosity moderately abundant, moderately long, flexuous; mesosoma light orange brown, head and gaster darker brown.
Major worker: head length 1.21mm, head width 1.19mm, scape length 0.80mm (n=1). Face shiny throughout; space between eye, frontal carina, and mandibular insertion longitudinally rugose, remainder of face smooth; 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: Cordillera de Tilaran.
Natural History
This species occurs in moist to wet montane forests, but may also occur in open habitats. It recruits to baits on the ground, and foragers occur in forest floor leaf litter. So far it is only known from Monteverde and the Pe–as Blancas Valley.
Comments
Species that have similar morphometric profiles include dentata, madrensis, cordiceps, nitidula, pampana, and quiaccana. All of these have the side of the pronotum smooth and shining (according to illustrations of Wilson). JTL-078 has the pronotal dorsum foveate and overlain with irregular rugae (rugae faint in specimens from Pe–as Blancas). The foveate sculpture partially covers the side of the pronotum, leaving the posterior portion smooth and shining. Pheidole dentata has an enlarged postpetiole (minor PPI 166 vs. 134). Pheidole cordiceps is described as being medium yellow.
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
Go back to top