Pheidole tapanti

This species is known from one cloud forest site, where a nest was found beneath epiphytes in a recent treefall.

Identification
Minor: face faintly but uniformly foveolate; promesonotal dorsum faintly foveolate; lateral pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum foveolate; promesonotal groove absent; propodeal spines one third length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; abundant erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gaster; color orange.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth small, about half way between midline and outer hypostomal teeth; scape base terete; face without scrobes; medial and anterior portions of face with very faint foveolation overlain with parallel, longitudinal carinulae; vertex lobes smooth and shining; propodeal spines one fourth length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shining; sides of head with abundant erect setae; abundant flexuous erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gaster.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.52, HL 0.56, SL 0.46, EL 0.13, WL 0.64, PSL 0.05, PTW 0.10, PPW 0.16, CI 93, SI 90, PSLI 9, PPI 151 (n=1).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.01, HL 1.02, SL 0.51, EL 0.16, WL 0.86, PSL 0.06, PTW 0.17, PPW 0.25, CI 98, SI 51, PSLI 6, PPI 152 (n=1).

This species is similar to Pheidole boltoni, another montane species in the northern cordilleras of Costa Rica. It differs from P. boltoni in orange color, somewhat smaller size (minor worker mean HW 52 vs 58), more convex promesonotum of minor worker in lateral view, and major worker with face sculpture more extensively smooth and shiny posteriorly.

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

Nomenclature

 *  tapanti. Pheidole tapanti Longino, 2019: 60, fig. 26 (w.) COSTA RICA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, Cartago: PN Tapantí, 9.75023 -83.78201 ±20 m, 1290 m, 8-Jun-2015, 2nd growth cloud forest, nest under epiphyte mat (J. Longino, JTL9224) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0637804].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, MUCR, USNM].

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