Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American Wet Forest
Author
Longino, John T.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-05-06
4599
1
1
126
journal article
26920
10.11646/zootaxa.4599.1.1
ea727a9b-324b-4c6b-a625-bc7cdd204473
1175-5326
2668058
7CDD24FF-5BA3-4D06-898D-A3E220515D4C
Pheidole cahui
new species
(
Plate 26
)
Pheidole
JTL-188: morphospecies code previously used on AntWeb.
HOLOTYPE
: 1 major worker,
Guatemala
,
Petén
:
Cerro Cahuí
, 16.99944 -89.70443 ±
24 m
,
130 m
,
24-May- 2009
, moist forest, nest in soil (
J. Longino
, JTL6696) [
MCZC
, unique specimen identifier CASENT0611056].
PARATYPES
: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [
CAS
,
DZUP
,
JTLC
,
MCZC
,
USNM
,
UVGC
]
.
Geographic range.
Guatemala
.
Diagnosis.
Minor
: face smooth and shining; head rounded posteriorly to medially flattened posterior margin; occipital carina thin; promesonotal groove absent, promesonotum evenly convex; lateral pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum faintly foveolate with traces of superimposed rugulae; dorsal mesonotum and dorsal face of propodeum with a few transverse carinulae; propodeal spines absent; gaster smooth and shining; abundant flexuous erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum; color orange.
Major
: inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base subterete, narrower than apical portion; head subrectangular; antennal scrobe present, short, well-delimited and forming distinct dorsal concavity beneath frontal carina, scrobe surface smooth and shining; entire face (excluding scrobes) with irregular but largely longitudinal carinulae, interspaces smooth to faintly microsculptured; propodeal spines triangular, about one fifth length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth; abundant, erect, flexuous setae on face, sides of head, mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum.
Measurements, minor worker
: HW 0.51, HL 0.57, SL 0.53, EL 0.12, WL 0.70, PSL 0.00, PTW 0.10, PPW 0.12, CI 90, SI 105, PSLI 0, PPI 130 (n=2).
Measurements, major worker
: HW 1.30, HL 1.60, SL 0.59, EL 0.20, WL 1.25, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.27, PPW 0.47, CI 81, SI 45, PSLI 5, PPI 176 (n=2).
Measurements, queen
: HW 1.23, HL 1.31, SL 0.63, EL 0.31, WL 1.79, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.41, PPW 0.71, CI 94, SI 51, PSLI 6, PPI 174 (n=1).
Biology.
This species is known from one site, a reserve with somewhat seasonal moist forest. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits. A nest was discovered by following workers from a nocturnal ground bait. The entrance was a simple hole in the soil beneath a leaf. An alate queen was collected in a beating sample.
Comments
. The minor worker of this species is similar to
P. hasticeps
. The major is very different, with antennal scrobes and heavily sculptured face.
Etymology
: From the
type
locality.