Pheidole ajax

A nest was found by Longino (1997). beneath the bark of a rotten stump in mature wet forest.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Atlantic slope to 600 m (Longino 1997).

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

Nomenclature

 *  ajax. Pheidole ajax Forel, 1899c: 71 (s.w.) COSTA RICA. See also: Wilson, 2003: 263.

Description
From Wilson (2003): A large brown member of the fallax group immediately recognizable in the major by the extremely long propodeal spines; by the completely carinulate center of the head and frontal lobes, which is flanked by a rugoreticulum on either side in full-face view; and by the striate first gastral tergite.

Minor: extremely long propodeal spines and mostly smooth and shiny head and body.

Similar to Pheidole fiorii, Pheidole hector, Pheidole jaculifera and Pheidole lourothi, differing in many details of body form, sculpturing, and pilosity, as depicted.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Major (Rio Toro Amarillo, Costa Rica): HW 1.28, HL 1.36, SL 1.16, EL 0.22, PW 0.66.

Minor (Rio Toro Amarillo, Costa Rica): HW 0.56, HL 0.82, SL 1.12, EL 0.14, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major: body dark brown, appendages medium brown.

Minor: body and most appendages medium to light brown, except for yellowish brown tarsi.



'''Figure. Upper: major. Lower: minor. COSTA RICA: Rio Toro Amarillo, near Guapiles, col. William L. Brown. Minor compared with syntype in Museum d’Histoire Naturelle, Genève, by W. O. Brown. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
San José, Costa Rica. - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
Gr Ajax, legendary Greek hero of the Trojan war. (Wilson 2003)