Pheidole truncula, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 548

Pheidole truncula new species

Types INB io.

Etymology L truncula , diminutive of trunca, cut off, maimed, referring to the head of the major.

Diagnosis a typical member of the lamia group: the major has a phragmotic head, with the anterior portion incorporating the clypeus and mandibles flattened (truncated), and deep antennal scrobes. This species is easily distinguished from the other members of the lamia group ( colobopsis , lamia , pelor ) by the complete absence of carinulae on the head, which is instead foveolate and opaque, and by other differences in body form and sculpturing as depicted.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.74, HL 0.94, SL 0.42, EL 0.14, PW 0.44.

Paralectotype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.52, SL 0.40, EL 0.10, PW 0.30.

color Major: concolorous yellowish brown.

Minor: light brown except for funiculus and tarsi, which are dark yellow.

range Known only from several collections from the type locality.

Biology Occurs at Penas Blancas in wet forest and nests at least in part arboreally, apparently in live plant stems (Longino 1997). On one occasion workers were mixed with those of the rare army-ant-like ponerine Simopelta , making it likely that the truncula were under attack as prey at the moment of collection.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COSTA RICA: Penas Blancas, Alajuela, lO^ON 84°70 W 940 m (J. T. Longino). Scale bars = 1 mm.