Pheidole beloceps

Found in leaf litter of lowland rainforest; workers were attracted to baits (Longino 1997).

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Costa Rica.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  beloceps. Pheidole beloceps Wilson, 2003: 376, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA.

Description
A small, yellow species whose major has an elongated head, the dorsal surface of which, with the exception of the mid-clypeus and frontal triangle, is completely foveolate and opaque; the rest of the cephalic sculpturing comprising longitudinal carinulae confined to the anterior half of the capsule; antennal scrobe absent; thick long, vertical propodeal spines are present, thin tips turning slightly forward in side view; small, subangulate mesonotal convexity present, and postpetiolar node conulate.

Similar to Pheidole charazana, Pheidole longinoi, Pheidole neolongiceps and Pheidole prolixa, but differing from each in various combinations of the above traits, and other traits, as illustrated.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.74, HL 0.96, SL 0.30, EL 0.06, PW 0.42. Paratype minor: HW 0.40, HL 0.48, SL 0.36, EL 0.04, PW 0.26.

COLOR Major: body dark yellow, appendages medium yellow.

Minor: concolorous medium yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
COSTA RICA: 4 km east of Turrialba, Cartago, 550 m, col. J. T. Longino.

Etymology
Gr beloceps, arrow-headed, referring to the elongate and vertically thin head capsule.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.