Pheidole cusuco, Longino, 2019

Longino, John T., 2019, Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American Wet Forest, Zootaxa 4599 (1), pp. 1-126 : 32

Pheidole cusuco new species

( Plate 51 )

Pheidole JTL-277: morphospecies code previously used on AntWeb.

HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Honduras, Cortés: PN Cusuco, 15.48965 -88.23383 ± 55 m, 1300 m, 31-May- 2010, mesophyll forest, at bait (LLAMA, Ba-C- 06-1-02-03) [ MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0617747] . PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [ MCZC]; same data except Ba-C- 06-1-02-08 [ CAS]; Ba-C- 06-1-02-11 [ USNM]; 15.49037 -88.23402 ± 70 m, 1330 m (Ba-C- 06-1-03-06) [ DZUP]; 15.49076 -88.23446 ± 40 m, 1360 m, (Ba-C- 06-1-04-05) [ JTLC] .

Geographic range. Guatemala, Honduras.

Diagnosis. Minor: sculpture of variable strength; strongest with face fully foveolate, overlain with faint rugulae, pronotal dorsum foveolate overlain with distinct reticulate rugulae, lateral pronotum fully foveolate; weakest with weak foveolation and medial shiny spaces on face, pronotal dorsum foveolate with shiny patches, lateral pronotum largely smooth and shiny; katepisternum always foveolate; head somewhat elongate but rounded posteriorly; promesonotal groove distinctly impressed; propodeal spines about one fifth length of posterior face of propodeum; first gastral tergite smooth and shining; abundant erect setae on mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae; color brown. Major: inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, acicular; scape base terete; face with faint foveolation overlain with reticulate rugulae on anterior half, a few longitudinal carinulae on anteromedian frons, rest of face smooth and shiny; propodeal spines about one third length of posterior face of propodeum; first gastral tergite smooth and shiny; sides of head with abundant erect setae; mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae with abundant erect setae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.66, HL 0.78, SL 0.96, EL 0.15, WL 1.02, PSL 0.05, PTW 0.12, PPW 0.18, CI 86, SI 144, PSLI 8, PPI 144 (n=3).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.13, HL 1.17, SL 0.97, EL 0.19, WL 1.24, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.19, PPW 0.28, CI 97, SI 86, PSLI 6, PPI 148 (n=2).

Biology. This species occurs in cloud forest, where it can be locally abundant. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits, but are infrequently collected in Winkler samples of sifted litter and rotten wood.

Comments. DNA barcoding places this species very close to P. luteagossamer . The two species are parapatric, with P. cusuco occurring in southern Guatemala and northern Honduras, and P. luteagossamer occurring from central Honduras to northern Nicaragua. The two species differ in color ( P. cusuco is brown, P. gossamer is yellow) and the distinctive silky pilosity of the major worker of P. luteagossamer . Etymology: From the type locality.

Figures

PLATE 51.