Pheidole dryas, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 410

Pheidole dryas new species

Types INBio.

Etymology L, Gr Dryas, in classical mythology, a wood nymph whose life was that of her tree, referring to the arboricolous nesting habit of the species.

Diagnosis A unique medium-sized, yellowish brown species whose major has a heart-shaped head, when mandibles are included, in full-face view; all of the dorsal head surface, including the clypeus but excluding the occiput, densely covered by longitudinal carinulae; conspicuously swollen hind femur; and angulate subpostpetiolar process.

There is some similarity to erratilis , nitella , and pygmaea , but many differences in body form, sculpturing, and color. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.94, HL 1.02, SL 0.46, EL 0.10, PW 0.54. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.56, SL 0.42, EL 0.06, PW 0.34.

color Major: gaster light yellowish brown, rest of body and appendages dark yellow. Minor: concolorous light yellowish brown.

Range Atlantic slope of Cordillera Central, Costa Rica (Longino 1997).

Biology The type series, representing either one or several colonies, was found in mature wet forest under epiphyte mats in a canopy tree (Longino 1997).

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COSTA RICA: Braulio Carrillo National Park, Heredia, 500 m (J. T. Longino). Scale bars = 1 mm.