Pheidole nitidicollis

This species occurs in mature wet forest. It is a relatively common arboreal ant, nesting in dead branches and under epiphytes. Colonies often appear large, with workers scattered over a wide area. (Longino 2009)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Mexico to Costa Rica.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  nitidicollis. Pheidole dimidiata var. nitidicollis Emery, 1896g: 79 (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Subspecies of dimidiata: Emery, 1922e: 107. Raised to species: Wilson, 2003: 474. Senior synonym of sagana: Longin, 2009: 58.
 * sagana. Pheidole sagana Wheeler, W.M. 1934g: 169 (s.w.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of nitidicollis: Longino, 2009: 58.See also: Wilson, 2003: 501.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A small, yellow member of the flavens group whose major has a prominent, rounded humerus that rises well above the mesonotum in dorsal-oblique view, a roughly semicircular outline of promesonotum in side view, and an oval postpetiolar node. Similar to tenerescens but with the major possessing a low mesonotal convexity present (in side view), longer cephalic carinulae, larger propodeal spine and spiracle, and with a brown as opposed to yellow gaster. See also the less similar Pheidole arhuaca, Pheidole flavifrons, Pheidole minutula, other species listed as close to Pheidole arhuaca, and members of the “flavens complex” listed under flavens (q.v.).

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.80, HL 0.84, SL 0.44, EL 0.10, PW 0.40. Minor (Nevis): HW 0.42, HL 0.44, SL 0.40, EL 0.06, PW 0.24.

COLOR Major and minor: yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: minor. Nevis, West Indies, col. Neal A. Weber, associated major compared with lectotype. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
Longino (2009):

Lectotype major worker (here designated, as labeled by Wilson 2003) and associated paralectotype minor worker: Costa Rica, Jiménez [a site near present day La Selva Biological Station] (Alfaro) (not examined).

Pheidole sagana Lectotype major worker (here designated, as labeled by Wilson 2003) and associated paralectotype minor worker: Mexico, Veracruz, Mirador (Skwarra) (examined).

Etymology
L nitidicollis, shiny neck, referring evidently to the smooth rear of head. (Wilson 2003)