Pheidole huarache

This species occurs in moist to seasonally dry habitats, often in second growth habitats. It is common at ground baits, and majors and minors are recruited. Workers are also found in Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood.

Identification
Minor: face smooth and shining; head evenly rounded posteriorly; occipital carina thin; promesonotal groove present, distinctly impressed; lateral pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum uniformly foveate; propodeal spines about half length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; dorsal setae of mesosoma and gaster somewhat stiff and dark, sparse; tibiae with 0-2 erect setae; color dark brown.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, acicular; scape base subterete, narrower than apical portion; face with irregular rugulae between eye and antennal fossa, rest of face mostly smooth and shining, with variably developed faint etching on sides posterior to eye; propodeal spines about half length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shining; side of head lacking erect setae; rest of pilosity pattern similar to minor worker.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.49, HL 0.54, SL 0.57, EL 0.13, WL 0.66, PSL 0.05, PTW 0.12, PPW 0.15, CI 91, SI 118, PSLI 10, PPI 131 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 0.78, HL 0.81, SL 0.56, EL 0.14, WL 0.78, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.15, PPW 0.20, CI 96, SI 73, PSLI 8, PPI 134 (n=2).

This species is like a small version of Pheidole leoncortesi, with similar dark setae. The measurements are similar to two species from Peru, Pheidole gagates and Pheidole machetula. Compared to P. gagates, the minor worker has more abundant and darker setae and the major worker has erect setae on the sides of the head. Compared to P. machetula, the setae are darker and the propodeal spines are longer (mean PSLI 10 vs. 3).

Distribution
Mexico (Veracruz) to Guatemala (Petén).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala.

Nomenclature

 *  huarache. Pheidole huarache Longino, 2019: 37, fig. 22 (w.) GUATEMALA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Guatemala, Petén: Cerro Cahuí, 16.99876 -89.71038 ±206 m, 150 m, 24-May-2009, tropical moist forest, at bait (LLAMA, Ba-B-05-3-01-01) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0611593].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [DZUP, JTLC, MCZC]; same data except Ba-B-05-3-01-12 [CAS, USNM]; 17.00227 -89.71939 ±60 m, 305 m (Ba-B-05-4-04-06) [UVGC].

Etymology
From a pre-Columbian word for sandal. These ants were underfoot in the Tikal area, a major site of Mayan civilization.