Pheidole machaquila

This species is known from one site in the Petén region of Guatemala. It was an area with small patches of second growth moist forest on a karst landscape. The one collection was from a ground bait, with a strong recruitment of minor and major workers.

Identification
Minor: face uniformly foveolate; promesonotal groove absent, promesonotum evenly convex; entire mesosoma foveolate; propodeal spines about two thirds length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster shagreened, matte; face, mesosomal dorsum, and gastral dorsum with sparse, short, erect setae; tibiae without erect setae; color orange yellow.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth distinct, closely spaced, blunt medial tooth also prominent; scape base terete; antennal scrobes very shallow, not sharply delimited; entire face foveolate, overlain with irregular, mostly longitudinal rugulae, these strongest anteriorly, fading posteriorly; propodeal spines about two thirds length of posterior face of propodeum; first gastral tergite entirely matte; abundant erect setae on sides of head, dorsal mesosoma, and gaster; tibiae lacking erect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.45, HL 0.54, SL 0.62, EL 0.10, WL 0.62, PSL 0.09, PTW 0.08, PPW 0.12, CI 84, SI 136, PSLI 20, PPI 144 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 0.93, HL 1.01, SL 0.67, EL 0.12, WL 0.82, PSL 0.12, PTW 0.13, PPW 0.22, CI 92, SI 72, PSLI 13, PPI 173 (n=2).

This species is similar to Pheidole phanigaster. The minor worker differs in matte gaster (shiny in P. phanigaster). The major worker differs in longer scapes (mean SI 72 vs. 61) and lighter orange color.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala.

Minor
Images from AntWeb

Nomenclature

 *  machaquila. Pheidole machaquila Longino, 2019: 45, fig. 14 (w.) GUATEMALA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Guatemala, Petén: 13km NW Machaquilá, 16.44612 -89.54969 ±59 m, 400 m, 29-May-2009, tropical moist forest, at bait (LLAMA, Ba-B-06-4-04-17) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0614273].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM, UVGC].

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