Pheidole ectatommoides, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 683

Pheidole ectatommoides new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L ectatommoides , referring to the distinctive sculpturing of the minor especially, reminiscent of ectatommoid ponerine ants.

diagnosis A highly distinctive species with some resemblance to arietans , glyphoderma , and triumbonata , but instantly recognizable by the unique pattern of sculpturing, especially on the minor worker, as illustrated. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.98, HL 2.12, SL 0.90, EL 0.24, PW 0.86. Paratype minor: HW 0.74, HL 0.80, SL 0.84, EL 0.20, PW 0.50.

color Major: head, mesosoma, and waist light reddish brown; appendages and gaster reddish yellow. Minor: head and mesosoma reddish yellow; waist, gaster, and appendages plain medium yellow.

Range Recorded from Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. J. T. Longino (1997) found the species in Costa Rica on the Atlantic slope.

Biology Longino (1997) discovered workers foraging at night on the ground and on a fallen branch in a forest. At several localities across the range, caches of seeds have been found in the nests.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COSTA RICA: Rio Toro Amarillo, near Guapiles (William L. Brown). Scale bars = 1 mm.