Pheidole hitoy new species

(Plate 38)

Pheidole JTL-245: morphospecies code previously used on AntWeb.

HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, Limón: Res. Biol. Hitoy-Cerere, 9.66824 -83.02232 ± 50 m, 170 m, 12-Jun-2015, tropical rainforest, at bait (ADMAC, Ba-E- 02-2-02-15) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0644296] . PARATYPES: major and minor worker: same data as holotype [JTLC, MCZC, MUCR]; same data except 9.6671 -83.02202 ± 50 m, 180 m (Ba-E- 02-2-04-06) [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, USNM] .

Geographic range. Costa Rica.

Diagnosis. Minor: face smooth and shining; head rounded behind, with thin occipital carina; promesonotal groove present, distinctly impressed; anterior face of pronotum foveolate with a few transverse carinulae dorsal face smooth and shining, lateral face mostly smooth with some faint foveolation along ventral margin; katepisternum foveolate; propodeal spines long and thin, about as long as posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; mesosomal and gastral dorsum with abundant flexuous erect setae; tibiae with erect setae; color red brown. Major: inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, acicular; scape base terete; face mostly smooth and shining, with longitudinal carinulae between eye and frontal carinae, irregular faint patches of foveolation elsewhere; propodeal spines about as long as posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth and shining; side of head with erect setae; mesosomal and gastral dorsum with abundant flexuous erect setae; tibiae with erect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.58, HL 0.70, SL 0.93, EL 0.14, WL 0.92, PSL 0.15, PTW 0.10, PPW 0.17, CI 82, SI 162, PSLI 27, PPI 162 (n=2).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.18, HL 1.28, SL 0.96, EL 0.18, WL 1.20, PSL 0.17, PTW 0.19, PPW 0.28, CI 92, SI 81, PSLI 14, PPI 149 (n=2).

Biology. This species occurs in lowland rainforest. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits.

Comments. This species is very similar to P. indagatrix, differing in the longer propodeal spines (minor worker PSLI ~27 vs. <20).

Etymology: From the type locality.