Pheidole rogeripolita

This species occurs in lower montane, mature wet forest. It nests in clay soil on vertical banks. Several nests have been discovered and excavated.
 * Nest 1: the entrance was a flared auricle-like structure of accreted soil; irregular galleries extended back into bank from the entrance; abundant workers, soldiers, brood were found about 5cm deep.
 * Nest 2: on a concave clay bank, the entrance under a shelf, pointing downward; the nest entrance was a projecting, thin-walled, open-mouthed cylinder, made of accreted soil.
 * Nest 3: in an abandoned wax tube of a Trigona bee nest, in a buttressed trunk, 1.5 m high; the wax tube covered a hemispherical chamber about 8 cm diameter; the entire colony with a single queen appeared to be in this chamber; a uniformly distributed layer of larvae were adhering to the vertical back wall of the chamber.
 * Nest 4: incipient nest in a clay bank; inconspicuous circular entrance tunnel; nest a spherical chamber 3-4 cm deep; most of the colony collected; 16 minor workers, 1 colony queen, brood.
 * Nest 5: stream edge in moist forest; nest in clay bank deep in alcove with overhanging roots.

Identification
Similar in most respects to Pheidole rogeri. The minor worker has a smooth, shiny face, rather than the lustrous, shagreened face of P. rogeri. The major worker is not readily distinguishable.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.84, HL 1.14, SL 1.56, EL 0.18, WL 1.63, PSL 0.42, PTW 0.14, PPW 0.23, CI 74, SI 185, PSLI 50, PPI 164 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 2.35, HL 2.59, SL 1.53, EL 0.28, WL 2.19, PSL 0.44, PTW 0.29, PPW 0.51, CI 91, SI 66, PSLI 19, PPI 173 (n=2).

Measurements, queen: HW 2.23, HL 2.14, SL 1.62, EL 0.48, WL 3.25, PSL 0.41, PTW 0.51, PPW 0.90, CI 104, SI 73, PSLI 19, PPI 175 (n=1).

Pheidole rogeripolita is a montane variant of the widespread lowland species Pheidole rogeri. The two are sister taxa and diverged about 5 mya (Pheidole JTL134 in Economo et al. 2019).

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

Nomenclature

 *  rogeripolita. Pheidole rogeripolita Longino, 2019: 56, fig. 58 (w.q.) COSTA RICA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, Alajuela: Peñas Blancas River, 10.3 -84.73333 ±2 km, 850 m, 3-Mar-2005, wet forest, nest in clay bank (J. Longino, JTL5465) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0636564].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor worker, queen: same data as holotype [JTLC, MUCR]; Costa Rica, Alajuela: 10km E Monteverde, 10.3107 -84.71356 ±50 m, 830 m, 15-May-2014, mature wet forest, nest in cavity in treetrunk (J. Longino, JTL8640) [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM].

Etymology
Similar to P. rogeri, but smooth and shiny, without a dull surface.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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