Pheidole laselva

An inhabitant of litter on the floor of mature rainforest. Nests have been found in rotting logs and other pieces of dead wood (Longino 1997), as well in soil (S. Cover). Winged reproductives have been found in nests at the La Selva Biological Station in January and March, and in Ecuador in late July. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Widespread over the Atlantic lowlands and mid-Atlantic slopes of Costa Rica (Longino 1997). I have also seen material from Providencia and Valle, Colombia; Aragua, Venezuela; and Guayas, Ecuador. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Costa Rica.

Nomenclature

 * ebenina. Pheidole ebenina Wilson, 2003: 412, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Junior synonym of laselva: Longino, 2009: 49.
 *  laselva. Pheidole laselva Wilson, 2003: 442, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Senior synonym of ebenina: Longino, 2009: 49.

Description
DIAGNOSIS Close to and possibly synonymous with Pheidole ebenina, also similar in various traits to Pheidole albipes, Pheidole amabilis, Pheidole alticola, Pheidole browni, Pheidole crinita, Pheidole delicata, Pheidole euryscopa, Pheidole hedlundorum, Pheidole lustrata, Pheidole mallota, Pheidole melastomae, Pheidole monteverdensis and Pheidole tillandsiarum, differing as follows. Major: carinulae on dorsal surface of head covering only half to two-thirds the anterior dorsal surface of the head; remainder of head, all of mesosoma, and dorsum of waist smooth and shiny; eye set well forward on head, so that the anterior margin is only about an Eye Length from the anterior genal margin; promesonotal profile a single smooth curve; propodeal spine small, equilaterally triangular; postpetiole from above elliptical, with angular lateral margins.

Minor: eye large, set well forward on the head; head and body almost completely smooth and shiny; propodeal spine small, equilaterally triangular; occiput broad, moderately concave.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.72, HL 0.80, SL 0.40, EL 0.10, PW 0.38. Paratype minor: HW 0.38, HL 0.42, SL 0.36, EL 0.08, PW 0.26.

COLOR Major: body and antennal scape concolorous medium brown; legs medium yellow; other appendages brownish yellow. Minor: body and appendages brownish yellow (“tan”) except for gaster, which is medium brown.



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

Type Locality Information
COSTA RICA: La Selva Biological Station, near Puerto Viejo, Heredia, col. Stefan Cover.

Etymology
Named after the type locality.

Additional References
Text and images from this publication used by permission of the author.