Pheidole cahui

This species is known from one site, a reserve with somewhat seasonal moist forest. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits. A nest was discovered by following workers from a nocturnal ground bait. The entrance was a simple hole in the soil beneath a leaf. An alate queen was collected in a beating sample.

Identification
Minor: face smooth and shining; head rounded posteriorly to medially flattened posterior margin; occipital carina thin; promesonotal groove absent, promesonotum evenly convex; lateral pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum faintly foveolate with traces of superimposed rugulae; dorsal mesonotum and dorsal face of propodeum with a few transverse carinulae; propodeal spines absent; gaster smooth and shining; abundant flexuous erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum; color orange.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base subterete, narrower than apical portion; head subrectangular; antennal scrobe present, short, well-delimited and forming distinct dorsal concavity beneath frontal carina, scrobe surface smooth and shining; entire face (excluding scrobes) with irregular but largely longitudinal carinulae, interspaces smooth to faintly microsculptured; propodeal spines triangular, about one fifth length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth; abundant, erect, flexuous setae on face, sides of head, mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.51, HL 0.57, SL 0.53, EL 0.12, WL 0.70, PSL 0.00, PTW 0.10, PPW 0.12, CI 90, SI 105, PSLI 0, PPI 130 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.30, HL 1.60, SL 0.59, EL 0.20, WL 1.25, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.27, PPW 0.47, CI 81, SI 45, PSLI 5, PPI 176 (n=2).

Measurements, queen: HW 1.23, HL 1.31, SL 0.63, EL 0.31, WL 1.79, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.41, PPW 0.71, CI 94, SI 51, PSLI 6, PPI 174 (n=1).

The minor worker of this species is similar to Pheidole hasticeps. The major is very different, with antennal scrobes and heavily sculptured face.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala.

Nomenclature

 *  cahui. Pheidole cahui Longino, 2019: 28, fig. 26 (w.q.) GUATEMALA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Guatemala, Petén: Cerro Cahuí, 16.99944 -89.70443 ±24 m, 130 m, 24-May-2009, moist forest, nest in soil (J. Longino, JTL6696) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0611056].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM, UVGC].

Etymology
From the type locality.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126