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 luteagossamer new species ( Plate 44 ) Pheidole JTL-208: morphospecies code previously used on AntWeb. HOLOTYPE : 1 major worker, Nicaragua , Jinotega : PN Cerro Saslaya , 13.77030 -85.02513 ± 100 m , 1120 m , 14-May-2011 , montane wet forest, at bait (LLAMA, Ba-D- 03-1-04-09 ) [ MCZC , unique specimen identifier CASENT0628292] . PARATYPES : major, minor workers: same data as holotype [ MCZC ] ; same data except 13.76751 -85.02469 ± 100 m , 1040 m (Ba-D- 03-1-02-05 ) [ USNM ] ; same data except (Ba-D- 03-1-02-15 ) [ DZUP ] ; same data except 13.76958 -85.02458 ± 100 m , 1080 m (Ba-D- 03-1-03-03 ) [ JTLC ] ; same data except 13.76859 - 85.0252 ± 20 m , 1090 m , 12-May-2011 , montane wet forest, nest in soil ( J.Longino , JTL7522) [ CAS ] . Geographic range. Honduras , Nicaragua . Diagnosis. Minor : face uniformly foveolate; promesonotal groove distinct, impressed; entire mesosoma foveolate, pronotal dorsum overlain to variable extent with reticulate rugulae; propodeal spines about one third length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; dorsal mesosoma, gaster, and tibiae with abundant, flexuous, erect setae; color yellow. Major : inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, acicular; scape base terete; face with foveolation and carinulae between eyes and frontal carinae, completely smooth and shining elsewhere; propodeal spines about one fourth length of posterior face of propodeum; first gastral tergite smooth and shiny; head, mesosoma, gaster, and tibiae covered with long, somewhat silky, subdecumbent setae. Measurements, minor worker : HW 0.62, HL 0.70, SL 0.91, EL 0.15, WL 0.93, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.12, PPW 0.16, CI 89, SI 146, PSLI 11, PPI 141 (n=5). Measurements, major worker : HW 1.03, HL 1.04, SL 0.87, EL 0.17, WL 1.07, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.17, PPW 0.24, CI 100, SI 86, PSLI 8, PPI 141 (n=5). Biology. This species occurs in montane wet forest. All collections have been from about 1000-1600 m . Foragers are epigaeic, diurnal or nocturnal, and can be locally abundant at baits. Workers also occur in Winkler samples. One nest was encountered in bare soil of a recent landslide. Workers at a bait led to a simple crack in the soil, with no obvious nest entrance. The main nest chamber with abundant workers and brood was about 15 cm deep. Comments . Pheidole luteagossamer is an interesting combination of other species. The minor workers are indistinguishable from P. acamata , and the majors are very similar to P. biolleyi from Costa Rica . Majors of P. biolleyi have the dorsal mesosoma glassier, with less sculpture. Etymology : In reference to the yellow color and the woolly pilosity of the major worker.