Pheidole hectornitida

This species occurs in cloud forest. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits, and workers are occasionally collected in Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood. One nest was observed in a large dead log. The wood was solid but breakable by hand. The nest chambers were deep in the log.

Identification
Longino (2019) - Minor: face smooth and shining; head tapering behind to moderately developed occipital carina; promesonotal groove present, distinctly impressed; pronotum entirely smooth and shining; katepisternum with mixture of faint foveolation and irregular rugulae, shiny; propodeal spines spiniform, about half length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; mesosomal and gastral dorsum with abundant flexuous erect setae; tibiae with erect setae; color red brown.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, acicular; scape base terete; face mostly smooth and shining, with longitudinal carinulae between eye and frontal carinae; propodeal spines about one third length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shining; side of head with erect setae; mesosomal and gastral dorsum with abundant erect setae; tibiae with erect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.68, HL 0.92, SL 1.26, EL 0.17, WL 1.24, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.14, PPW 0.21, CI 74, SI 186, PSLI 11, PPI 154 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.32, HL 1.37, SL 1.20, EL 0.20, WL 1.49, PSL 0.11, PTW 0.24, PPW 0.32, CI 97, SI 91, PSLI 9, PPI 137 (n=2).

This species is very similar to Pheidole hector, with similar head shape and general habitus. In minor workers the pilosity is not as dark and the propodeal spines are shorter (PSLI ~11 vs. ~30). In major workers the face is more uniformly smooth and shining, without patches of faint foveolation. A collection from a nearby, lower elevation site (850 m) is of a single minor worker and a single major worker at a bait. These specimens are smaller than the other collections, with minor worker HW 0.52 and major worker HW 1.14. In all other respects they are similar to the other collections. They are possibly specimens from an incipient colony, and the measurements are not included in the means reported above.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica.

Nomenclature

 *  hectornitida. Pheidole hectornitida Longino, 2019: 36, fig. 48 (w.) COSTA RICA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, San José: 8km S Santa Maria, 9.57653 -83.95188 ±20 m, 1510 m, 29-Jun-2015, cloud forest, nest in dead wood (J. Longino, JTL9387) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0637217].
 * PARATYPES: major and minor worker: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, MUCR, USNM].

Description
see the identification section above

Etymology
Similar to P. hector, but the face of the major worker is smooth and shiny.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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