Pheidole gauthieri

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 693

Pheidole gauthieri Forel

Pheidole ursus r. gauthieri Forel 190lj:' 367. Raised to species level by Forel 1912g: 233. Syn.: Pheidole gauthieri var. oxymora Forel 1912g: 233, n.syn.

Types Mus. Hist. Nat. Geneve.

Etymology Named after A. and C. Gauthier of Colombia, who assisted Forel in his itinerary.

diagnosis Similar to antillana , coveri , fullerae , hetschkoi , heyeri , napoensis , and seguriger in various traits but easily distinguished as follows.

Major: propodeal spines as long as basal face of propodeum; occiput smooth and shiny; smaller patch of rugoreticulum present laterad to each antennal fossa; loose rugoreticulum present on anterior half of pronotal dorsum but absent on posterior half; postpetiole spinose.

Minor: occiput, sides of head, and entire dorsum of mesosoma rugoreticulate, and almost all of remainder of head and mesosoma variously rugulose or carinulate; propodeal spines as long as basal face of propodeum; occiput narrowed but lacking a nuchal collar. Measurements (mm) Major (Panama): HW 2.04, HL 2.12, SL 0.86, EL 0.20, PW 0.94. Lectotype minor: HW 0.80, HL 0.81, SL 0.86, EL 0.16, PW 0.54. Color Major: concolorous light reddish brown.

Minor: head and mesosoma light reddish yellow; waist, gaster, and appendages clear dark yellow.

Range I have seen material from Guatemala (Tikal), Costa Rica (Osa Peninsula), Panama (localities in the Canal Zone), and Colombia. J. T. Longino (1997) reports it from both the Atlantic and Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica.

Biology In Costa Rica Longino (1997) found gauthieri in mature wet forest, nesting in dead wood in the low arboreal zone and foraging in the leaf litter and at extrafloral nectaries. A winged queen was present in a nest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, 27 June (W. M. Wheeler).

Figure Upper: syntype, major of synonymous gauthieri var. oxymora (Panama) . Lower: lectotype, minor (road from Dibulla to San Antonio, Guajira, Colombia). Scale bars = 1 mm.