Pheidole xiloa

This species is known from one lowland, dry, scrubby site on the outskirts of Managua. Minor and major workers recruited to a ground bait, and minor and majors were collected in the vicinity of the bait using a Davis sifter.

Identification
Minor: face and mesosoma uniformly foveolate, face and dorsal pronotum overlain with faint reticulate rugulae to variable extent; promesonotal groove absent; propodeal spines about one half length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; abundant flexuous erect setae on mesosomal dorsum and gaster; tibiae without erect setae; color light to dark brown.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base terete; face with shallow scrobal impressions; most of face smooth and shining, space between eye and antennal fossa foveolate overlain with longitudinal rugulae, with subparallel, longitudinal carinulae between frontal carinae; propodeal spines one third to one half length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shining; sides of head with abundant erect setae; abundant flexuous erect setae on mesosomal dorsum and gaster; tibiae with no erect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.43, HL 0.47, SL 0.35, EL 0.09, WL 0.50, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.09, PPW 0.17, CI 91, SI 83, PSLI 18, PPI 187 (n=3).

Measurements, major worker: HW 0.74, HL 0.84, SL 0.38, EL 0.12, WL 0.63, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.14, PPW 0.31, CI 89, SI 51, PSLI 11, PPI 217 (n=3).

The minor worker of this species has the habitus and sculpture of Pheidole harrisonfordi. Unlike P. harrisonfordi and similar species, the major worker has most of the face smooth and shiny.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Nicaragua.

Minor
Images from AntWeb

Nomenclature

 *  xiloa. Pheidole xiloa Longino, 2019: 64, fig. 8 (w.) NICARAGUA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Nicaragua, Managua: Laguna Xiloá, 12.22644 -86.31104 ±50 m, 90 m, 28-Apr-2011, 2nd growth dry forest, ex sifted litter (Davis sifter) (J.Longino, JTL7429-s) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0619635].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM]; same data except at bait (J.Longino, JTL7430-s) [JTLC].

Etymology
From the type locality.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126