Pheidole lucaris

The type colony was collected in Atlantic lowland rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

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

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  lucaris. Pheidole lucaris Wilson, 2003: 446, figs. (s.w.) BRAZIL.

Description
DIAGNOSIS A medium sized, concolorous brown member of the flavens group characterized in the major by a somewhat flattened head in side view; relatively long, abundant, erect hairs on the mesosoma, waist, and gaster; short, equilateral propodeal spine in side view; longitudinal carinulae (but no rugoreticulum) covering the anterior dorsal half of the head, with middle section of clypeus smooth; postpetiolar node seen from above trapezoidal; and mesosoma mostly smooth and shiny.

Similar in some but not all of these traits to Pheidole chalca, Pheidole delicata and Pheidole ulothrix, and differing in others, as well as in additional details of body form, sculpturing, pilosity, and color, as variously indicated.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.82, HL 0.92, SL 0.54, EL 0.14, PW 0.44. Paratype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.50, SL 0.40, EL 0.08, PW 0.28.

COLOR Major: body dark brown, appendages medium brown.

Minor: body medium brown, tarsi yellow, and remainder of appendages light brown.



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

Type Material
BRAZIL: Caraguatatuba Reserve, São Paulo state, 40–80 m, col. William L. and Doris E. Brown.

Etymology
L lucaris, from a grove, referring to the type locality.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.