Pheidole citrina

Collected from leaf litter in wet forest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
From Wilson (2003): A very small, yellow member of the flavens group whose major is marked by its strongly curved propodeal spine (as though the tip had “melted” backward); long scapes, which reach the occipital corners; all of the sculpturing on the anterior half of the head consisting of longitudinal carinulae, with the posterior half smooth and shiny; and pronotal humerus in dorsal-oblique view rounded. Similar to onyx, but in the major, citrina has a more curved propodeal spine, far less carinulation on the dorsal head surface, and longer scapes, among other differences.

See also the less similar Pheidole grex and Pheidole humida.

COLOR Major and minor: concolorous yellow.

Distribution
Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica (Longino 1997).

This taxon was described from Costa Rica.

Description
DIAGNOSIS A very small, yellow member of the flavens group whose major is marked by its strongly curved propodeal spine (as though the tip had “melted” backward); long scapes, which reach the occipital corners; all of the sculpturing on the anterior half of the head consisting of longitudinal carinulae, with the posterior half smooth and shiny; and pronotal humerus in dorsal-oblique view rounded. Similar to onyx, but in the major, citrina has a more curved propodeal spine, far less carinulation on the dorsal head surface, and longer scapes, among other differences.

See also the less similar Pheidole grex and Pheidole humida.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.66, HL 0.70, SL 0.54, EL 0.06, PW 0.38. Paratype minor: HW 0.46, HL 0.50, SL 0.54, EL 0.10, PW 0.28.

COLOR Major and minor: concolorous yellow.



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

Type Locality Information
COSTA RICA: La Selva Biological Station, near Puerto Viejo (M. Byrne).

Etymology
L citrina, of citron, referring to yellow body color.