Pheidole caltrop

“From large thorns hollowed out on living tree” (A. E. Emerson, collection note 13 April 1935). (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from Costa Rica and Panama.

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

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  caltrop. Pheidole caltrop Wilson, 2003: 270, figs. (s.w.) PANAMA.

Description
A unique member of the fallax group characterized as follows.

Major: yellow; occiput, genae, and promesonotal dorsum rugoreticulate; large “sharkfin” protrusion on humerus extends beyond the boundaries of the rest of the pronotum when viewed from above; dorsum of postpetiolar node carinulate.

Minor: large “sharkfin” angle protrudes from humerus; all of body except gaster foveolate and opaque; very thin nuchal collar present.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.22, HL 1.18, SL 0.64, EL 0.14, PW 0.62. Paratype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.66, SL 0.66, EL 0.10, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: concolorous dark yellow.

Minor: concolorous medium yellow.



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

Type Material
PANAMA: Barro Colorado Island, col. Alfred E. Emerson.

Etymology
ML caltrop, a four-pointed weapon placed on the ground to impede movement.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Adams B. J., S. A. Schnitzer, and S. P. Yanoviak. 2016. Trees as islands: canopy ant species richness increases with the size of liana-free trees in a Neotropical forest. Ecography doi: 10.1111/ecog.02608
 * Adams B. J., S. A. Schnitzer, and S. P. Yanoviak. 2019. Connectivity explains local ant community structure in a Neotropical forest canopy: a large-scale experimental approach. Ecology 100(6): e02673.