Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus.
Author
Wilson, E. O.
text
2003
Harvard University Press
Cambridge, MA
http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu/HymOnline/reference-full.html?id=20017
book
20017
Pheidole longinoi
new species
Types iNBio.
etymology In honor of the collector John T. (Jack) Longino, pioneer explorer of the Costa Rican ant fauna.
Diagnosis A small, medium yellow member of the
flavens
group, most similar to
otisi
and
prolixa
but easily distinguished from them in the major by the more prominent mesonotal convexity; smaller, more posteriorly directed propodeal spines; postpetiolar shape; and many details of cephalic sculpturing, including absence of rugoreticulum in the center of the occiput.
The minor also differs in having the pilosity on the mesosomal dorsum limited to evenly spaced pairs of hairs.
P. longinoi
is also similar but less so to
ceibana
,
ruida
, and
sospes
.
Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.66, HL 0.82, SL 0.42, EL 0.08, PW 0.38.
Paratype minor: HW 0.40, HL 0.44, SL 0.34, EL 0.08, PW 0.26.
color Major and minor: concolorous medium yellow.
Range Costa Rica.
Biology
P. longinoi
inhabits wet forest, nesting in internodes of Cecropia insignis saplings (J. T. Longino).
figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COSTA RICA: 6.5 km east of Monteverde, Alajuela, 950 m (John T. Longino). Scale bars = 1 mm.