Pheidole brownampla

This species occurs in cloud forest. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits, and workers occur in Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood.

Identification
Minor: face uniformly foveolate; posterior margin of head weakly emarginate in face view; promesonotal groove absent; promesonotal dorsum and dorsal face of propodeum smooth and shiny; lateral pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum smooth and shiny anteroventrally, with posterior and dorsal strip of foveolation; propodeal spines about one half length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae with abundant erect setae; color orange.

Major: head subrectangular; inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base terete; weak scrobal impressions on face, weakly delimited dorsally by frontal carinae; face mostly foveolate, with longitudinal carinulae on anterior third to half, thin posterior strip on vertex lobes smooth and shiny; propodeal spines triangular, about one third length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shining; side of head with erect setae; mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae with abundant suberect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.47, HL 0.49, SL 0.44, EL 0.13, WL 0.59, PSL 0.05, PTW 0.09, PPW 0.12, CI 96, SI 94, PSLI 11, PPI 141 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 0.92, HL 1.04, SL 0.45, EL 0.15, WL 0.75, PSL 0.05, PTW 0.13, PPW 0.21, CI 89, SI 49, PSLI 6, PPI 162 (n=2).

Measurements, queen: HW 0.69, HL 0.69, SL 0.42, EL 0.21, WL 1.05, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.20, PPW 0.28, CI 100, SI 61, PSLI 10, PPI 140 (n=1).

This species is very similar to Pheidole browni, differing in the larger head of the major worker (HW > 0.89 vs. < 0.76).

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

Nomenclature

 *  brownampla. Pheidole brownampla Longino, 2019: 28, fig. 16 (w.q.) COSTA RICA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, Limón: Cerro Plátano, 9.86688 -83.24151 ±50 m, 1120 m, 19-Jun-2015, cloud forest, along steep ridge near peak, at bait (ADMAC, Ba-E-03-1-02-02) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0636682].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [MUCR]; same data except 9.86621 -83.24203 ±50 m, 1110 m (Ba-E-03-1-04-11) [MCZC]; 9.86552 -83.24254 ±50 m, 1090 m (Ba-E-03-2-01-11) [CAS]; 9.86439 -83.24371 ±50 m, 1050 m (Ba-E-03-2-04-04) [USNM].

Etymology
Similar to P. browni but larger.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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