Pheidole eosimilis

This species occurs in lowland to lower montane wet forest. Minor workers and occasional major workers recruit to ground baits. Workers occur in Winkler samples of sifted leaf litter and rotten wood. Two nests have been observed, both in rotten wood. One nest contained a seed cache. Another nest was in a cavity in a 15-20 cm diameter dead buttress, a few cm above ground. The entrance was covered with a thin-walled dome of accreted organic material, with two entrance holes in the dome.

Identification
Minor: clypeus completely smooth, without medial carina; face smooth and shining; promesonotal groove very weakly impressed; mesosoma almost entirely smooth and shining; propodeal spines long, about as long as posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; abundant, flexuous, erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum; color dark brown.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base terete; face foveolate throughout, overlain with reticulate rugulae, rugulae more longitudinally oriented anteriorly; propodeal spines about one half length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum very faintly foveolate on anterior third, fading to smooth and shiny; abundant erect setae on face, sides of head, mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.71, HL 0.78, SL 1.08, EL 0.15, WL 1.16, PSL 0.12, PTW 0.13, PPW 0.17, CI 90, SI 153, PSLI 16, PPI 138 (n=10).

Measurements, major worker: HW 2.46, HL 2.53, SL 1.13, EL 0.27, WL 1.91, PSL 0.19, PTW 0.36, PPW 0.61, CI 97, SI 46, PSLI 8, PPI 169 (n=2).

Measurements, queen: HW 2.27, HL 2.06, SL 1.18, EL 0.37, WL 2.55, PSL 0.17, PTW 0.54, PPW 0.84, CI 110, SI 52, PSLI 8, PPI 156 (n=1).

This species is very similar to Pheidole eowilsoni, with which it is sympatric. The minor worker of P. eowilsoni has a longitudinal median carina on the clypeus. The major worker has the vertex lobes smoother, the scape base is flatter, and the anterior face of the petiolar node is less differentiated from the peduncle. Although very similar to P. eowilsoni, COI barcode data widely separate the two species.

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

Nomenclature

 *  eosimilis. Pheidole eosimilis Longino, 2019: 33, fig. 54 (w.q.) NICARAGUA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Nicaragua, Matagalpa: 3km N Rio Blanco, 12.96018 -85.22488 ±50 m, 690 m, 1-May-2011, mature wet forest, nest in rotten wood (J.Longino, JTL7435) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0619392].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers, queen: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM].

Etymology
Similar to P. eowilsoni.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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