Pheidole boruca, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard University Press : 172

Pheidole boruca new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology Named after the Boruca Amerindians, one of the surviving native tribes of Costa Rica.

Diagnosis Major: carinulae originating on the frontal lobes curve laterally above the eyes, many reaching the lateral margins of the head seen in full-face view; posterior quarter of dorsal surface of head, including occiput, covered by scattered conspicuous foveae. Media caste present in type series (a possible developmental anomaly). Similar to violacea of Costa Rica, especially in the peculiar pattern of cephalic carinulae, but nests on the ground (instead of in arboreal ant gardens), lacks the bluish reflections on the body of the minor, has a media caste, and is different in the major and minor castes in many details of body form, sculpturing, and pilosity as illustrated. See also the less similar aculifera (in the fallax group), prostrata , and variegata .

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.10, HL 1.10, SL 0.78, EL 0.20, PW 0.48.

Paratype minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.66, SL 0.84, EL 0.12, PW 0.36.

color Major: body dark, almost blackish brown; appendages medium brown.

Minor: body blackish brown, appendages medium brown.

Range Atlantic slope and montane regions of Costa Rica (Longino 1997).

Biology Longino (1997): very common in Winkler samples from mature wet forest, from 50 m elevation at La Selva Biological Station to cloud forest in the Talamancas and at Monteverde. Longino found nests under pieces of dead wood on the ground, and observed workers foraging on the ground day and night.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor, and partial head of media. COSTA RICA: Monteverde, Puntarenas, 10° 18 IM 84°48W, 1500 m (J. T. Longino). Scale bars = 1 mm.