Pheidole texticeps

A colony collected at the type locality by Stefan Cover et al. was nesting in primary rainforest in and beneath a rotten branch on the ground. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from the type locality, and from nearby Rio Toro Amarillo, in the vicinity of Guapiles, Costa Rica. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Costa Rica.

Nomenclature

 * perdiligens. Pheidole perdiligens Wilson, 2003: 213, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Junior synonym of texticeps: Longino, 2009: 85.
 *  texticeps. Pheidole texticeps Wilson, 2003: 240, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Senior synonym of perdiligens: Longino, 2009: 85.

Description
A member of the diligens group, distinguished as follows.

Major: bicolorous; dorsal head surface between eyes and frontal carinae, from the genae almost to but not including the occiput, weakly rugoreticulate; hypostoma with 2 teeth; mesosomal convexity in side view very high, tapering to a blunt point; pronotum bilobous in dorsal-oblique view; mesosoma dorsum with a row of sparse, paired setae; gaster entirely smooth and shiny.

Minor: bicolorous, mesosomal convexity very high; mesosomal dorsum sparsely pilose; dorsal surface of head smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.90, HL 0.92, SL 0.64, EL 0.16, PW 0.48. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.58, SL 0.66, EL 0.14, PW 0.36.

COLOR Major: head, antennae, and mandibles light brown; mesosoma, waist, and legs light brown; gaster dark brown.

Minor: mesosoma, waist, and appendages medium brown; head and gaster blackish 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, Mark W. Moffett, John E. Tobin.

Etymology
L texticeps, woven head, referring to the fabric-like, rugoreticulate dorsal surface of the head.

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