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Pheidole luteagossamer
| Pheidole luteagossamer | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. luteagossamer |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole luteagossamer Longino, 2019
| |
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.
Identification
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).
Pheidole luteagossamer is an interesting combination of other species. The minor workers are indistinguishable from Pheidole acamata, and the majors are very similar to Pheidole biolleyi from Costa Rica. Majors of P. biolleyi have the dorsal mesosoma glassier, with less sculpture.
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Honduras, Nicaragua (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Countries Occupied
| Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species. |
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Estimated Abundance
| Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species. |
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Biology
Castes
Worker
Minor
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Paratype Minor. Specimen code CASENT0619482. Photographer Michele Esposito. | |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- luteagossamer. Pheidole luteagossamer Longino, 2019: 44, fig. 44 (w.) NICARAGUA.
Type Material
- 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].
Description
Etymology
In reference to the yellow color and the woolly pilosity of the major worker.
References
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126