Pheidole wardi

Collected in lowland rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  wardi. Pheidole wardi Wilson, 2003: 634, figs. (s.w.) HONDURAS.

Description
DIAGNOSIS A very distinctive species, easily distinguished by the following combination of traits.

Major: posterior profile of dorsal head surface strongly concave; hypostomum 2-toothed; entire posterior half of cephalic dorsum and all of promesonotum rugoreticulate; propodeal spines very long and stout.

Minor: occiput and promesonotum rugoreticulate; lateral thirds of head in full-face view rugulose; humeri cornulate; propodeal spines very long and thin.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.10, SL 0.50, EL 0.14, PW 0.62. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.52, SL 0.44, EL 0.10, PW 0.36.

COLOR Major: gaster and legs yellowish brown, rest of body and mandible reddish brown.

Minor: concolorous brownish yellow.



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

Type Material
HONDURAS: Lancetilla, near Tela, col. William L. Brown.

Etymology
Named after the distinguished myrmecologist and field biologist Philip S. Ward.

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
 * 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. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/