Pheidole midas

Stefan Cover collected the type colony from a nest in a rotting stick on the floor of montane rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from the type locality (Trinidad) as well as series from Panama, Colombia, Brazil (Pará), Peru, and Ecuador. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 *  midas. Pheidole midas Wilson, 2003: 324, figs. (s.w.) TRINIDAD.

Description
A small yellow member of the fallax group characterized by the following combination of traits.

Major: head heart-shaped; pilosity over all of body, and especially clypeus, mesosoma, waist, and gaster, very long, dense, and erect to suberect; a large-celled patch of rugoreticulum present to the side and behind each antennal fossa; carinulae on head and body almost entirely limited to the anterior half of the head, with most of the frontal lobes bare.

Minor: occiput broad, lacking nuchal collar; pilosity very long and mostly erect to suberect; only carinulae present are the circular ones around the antennal fossae, and foveolation is limited to the meso- and metathorax and propodeum, with the rest of the body smooth and shiny.

Similar to Pheidole aenescens, Pheidole alienata, Pheidole bergi, Pheidole chrysops, Pheidole cordiceps and Pheidole nesiota, as described and illustrated.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 0.88, SL 0.74, EL 0.14, PW 0.46. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.62, SL 0.70, EL 0.10, PW 0.34.

COLOR Major and minor: concolorous medium yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
TRINIDAD: Aripo Ridge, Arima Valley, 550–650 m, col. Stefan Cover and Mark W. Moffett.

Etymology
Gr Midas, mythical king whose touch turned everything to gold; with reference to the color of the workers.