Pheidole luteagossamer

This species occurs in montane wet forest. All collections have been from about 1000-1600 m. Foragers are epigaeic, diurnal or nocturnal, and can be locally abundant at baits. Workers also occur in Winkler samples. One nest was encountered in bare soil of a recent landslide. Workers at a bait led to a simple crack in the soil, with no obvious nest entrance. The main nest chamber with abundant workers and brood was about 15 cm deep.

Identification
Minor: face uniformly foveolate; promesonotal groove distinct, impressed; entire mesosoma foveolate, pronotal dorsum overlain to variable extent with reticulate rugulae; propodeal spines about one third length of posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; dorsal mesosoma, gaster, and tibiae with abundant, flexuous, erect setae; color yellow.

Major: inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, acicular; scape base terete; face with foveolation and carinulae between eyes and frontal carinae, completely smooth and shining elsewhere; propodeal spines about one fourth length of posterior face of propodeum; first gastral tergite smooth and shiny; head, mesosoma, gaster, and tibiae covered with long, somewhat silky, subdecumbent setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.62, HL 0.70, SL 0.91, EL 0.15, WL 0.93, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.12, PPW 0.16, CI 89, SI 146, PSLI 11, PPI 141 (n=5).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.03, HL 1.04, SL 0.87, EL 0.17, WL 1.07, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.17, PPW 0.24, CI 100, SI 86, PSLI 8, PPI 141 (n=5).

Pheidole luteagossamer is an interesting combination of other species. The minor workers are indistinguishable from Pheidole acamata, and the majors are very similar to Pheidole biolleyi from Costa Rica. Majors of P. biolleyi have the dorsal mesosoma glassier, with less sculpture.

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

Nomenclature

 *  luteagossamer. Pheidole luteagossamer Longino, 2019: 44, fig. 44 (w.) NICARAGUA.

Type Material

 * HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Nicaragua, Jinotega: PN Cerro Saslaya, 13.77030 -85.02513 ±100 m, 1120 m, 14-May-2011, montane wet forest, at bait (LLAMA, Ba-D-03-1-04-09) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0628292].
 * PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [MCZC]; same data except 13.76751 -85.02469 ±100 m, 1040 m (Ba-D-03-1-02-05) [USNM]; same data except (Ba-D-03-1-02-15) [DZUP]; same data except 13.76958 -85.02458 ±100 m, 1080 m (Ba-D-03-1-03-03) [JTLC]; same data except 13.76859 -85.0252 ±20 m, 1090 m, 12-May-2011, montane wet forest, nest in soil (J.Longino, JTL7522) [CAS].

Etymology
In reference to the yellow color and the woolly pilosity of the major worker.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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