Pheidole rectitrudis

Evidently uncommon. The type colony was collected by Stefan Cover in the soil of lowland rainforest beneath a log. The Mexican colonies were found in cloud forest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
From Wilson (2003): Known from the type locality and from Peñas Blancas Valley, Costa Rica (Longino 1997); and near San Andres Tuxtla (1500 m) and Orizaba (1600 m), Mexico, col. P. S. Ward.

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

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  rectitrudis. Pheidole rectitrudis Wilson, 2003: 496, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA.

Description
DIAGNOSIS Similar to Pheidole bilimeki, Pheidole floridana, Pheidole hazenae, Pheidole rectiluma, Pheidole rectisentis, Pheidole rectispina, Pheidole sospes and Pheidole stomachosa, differing as follows.

Major: propodeal spines robust, half as long as propodeal basal face, vertical to propodeum; frontal lobes, vertex, and dorsal midline strip to occiput carinulate and rugulose; occipital lobes smooth with scattered foveae; sides of head rugoreticulate; humeri longitudinally rugulose, and promesonotal dorsum transversely carinulate; postpetiole from above conulate.

Minor: all of dorsal surface of head from eye level to occiput rugoreticulate, as well as all of promesonotal dorsum; propodeal spines long, robust, and vertical to propodeal basal face.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.90, HL 0.98, SL 0.48, EL 0.12, PW 0.48. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.54, SL 0.44, EL 0.08, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major: body, scape, and mandibles dark, almost blackish brown; legs and funiculus medium brown.

Minor: head, mesosoma, petiole, and appendages medium brown; postpetiole and gaster dark brown.



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

Type Material
COSTA RICA: La Selva Biological Station, near Puerto Viejo, col. Stefan Cover.

Etymology
L rectitrudis, erect pike or pointed pole, alluding to propodeal spines.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * 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.
 * Longino J. T., and R. K. Colwell. 2011. Density compensation, species composition, and richness of ants on a neotropical elevational gradient. Ecosphere 2(3): 16pp.
 * Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/