Pheidole sensipelada

This species occurs in lowland to lower montane wet forest. The few collections are from ground baits and from a beating sample.

Identification
Minor: face smooth and shining; head rounded behind; promesonotal groove present, distinctly impressed; pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum foveolate; propodeal spines about one quarter length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; dorsal mesosoma, petiole, and postpetiole with long flexuous erect setae; tibiae with very long erect setae, as long as or longer than twice width of tibia; gastral dorsum with extremely sparse, short, fully appressed pubescence, and either lacking erect setae or with a few long erect setae near postpetiolar insertion; color dark brown to black.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, acicular; scape base terete; face almost entirely smooth and shining, with short longitudinal carinulae between eye and antennal fossa; promesonotal groove impressed; propodeal spines about one quarter length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shiny; face with very sparse appressed pubescence similar to gaster; sides and posterior margin of head lacking erect setae; otherwise pilosity similar to minor worker.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.68, HL 0.74, SL 0.97, EL 0.18, WL 0.99, PSL 0.06, PTW 0.19, PPW 0.26, CI 91, SI 143, PSLI 9, PPI 134 (n=1).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.07, HL 1.07, SL 0.85, EL 0.21, WL 1.09, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.32, PPW 0.41, CI 101, SI 80, PSLI 7, PPI 130 (n=1).

This species has the general habitus of Pheidole sensitiva, with which it is sympatric. It differs from P. sensitiva in larger size (minor worker mean HW 0.68 vs. 0.59) and reduced pilosity.

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

Minor
Images from AntWeb

Nomenclature

 *  sensipelada. Pheidole sensipelada Longino, 2019: 57, fig. 52 (w.) COSTA RICA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, San José: Cerro Plano, 9.48446 -83.96228 ±200 m, 1030 m, 6-Jul-2015, cloud forest, at bait (ADMAC, Ba-E-06-2-03-14) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0631275].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, MUCR, USNM].

Etymology
In reference to the very long flexuous setae on the mesosoma.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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