Pheidole brownampla

This species occurs in cloud forest. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits, and workers occur in Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood.

Identification
Longino (2019) - Minor: face uniformly foveolate; posterior margin of head weakly emarginate in face view; promesonotal groove absent; promesonotal dorsum and dorsal face of propodeum smooth and shiny; lateral pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum smooth and shiny anteroventrally, with posterior and dorsal strip of foveolation; propodeal spines about one half length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae with abundant erect setae; color orange.

Major: head subrectangular; inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base terete; weak scrobal impressions on face, weakly delimited dorsally by frontal carinae; face mostly foveolate, with longitudinal carinulae on anterior third to half, thin posterior strip on vertex lobes smooth and shiny; propodeal spines triangular, about one third length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shining; side of head with erect setae; mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae with abundant suberect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.47, HL 0.49, SL 0.44, EL 0.13, WL 0.59, PSL 0.05, PTW 0.09, PPW 0.12, CI 96, SI 94, PSLI 11, PPI 141 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 0.92, HL 1.04, SL 0.45, EL 0.15, WL 0.75, PSL 0.05, PTW 0.13, PPW 0.21, CI 89, SI 49, PSLI 6, PPI 162 (n=2).

Measurements, queen: HW 0.69, HL 0.69, SL 0.42, EL 0.21, WL 1.05, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.20, PPW 0.28, CI 100, SI 61, PSLI 10, PPI 140 (n=1).

This species is very similar to Pheidole browni, differing in the larger head of the major worker (HW > 0.89 vs. < 0.76).

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

Nomenclature

 *  brownampla. Pheidole brownampla Longino, 2019: 28, fig. 16 (w.q.) COSTA RICA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, Limón: Cerro Plátano, 9.86688 -83.24151 ±50 m, 1120 m, 19-Jun-2015, cloud forest, along steep ridge near peak, at bait (ADMAC, Ba-E-03-1-02-02) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0636682].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [MUCR]; same data except 9.86621 -83.24203 ±50 m, 1110 m (Ba-E-03-1-04-11) [MCZC]; 9.86552 -83.24254 ±50 m, 1090 m (Ba-E-03-2-01-11) [CAS]; 9.86439 -83.24371 ±50 m, 1050 m (Ba-E-03-2-04-04) [USNM].

Description
see the identification section above

Etymology
Similar to P. browni but larger.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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