Pheidole karolmorae, Longino, J. T., 2009

Longino, J. T., 2009, Additions to the taxonomy of New World Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Zootaxa 2181, pp. 1-90 : 41-44

Pheidole karolmorae new species

Figure 10

Holotype major worker. Costa Rica, Heredia: La Selva, 8km SW Pto. Viejo, 10.40000°N 84.05000°W, ±2000m, 150m, 17 Jul 1986 (J. Longino#1391-s) [ INBC, unique specimen identifier INBIOCRI002279843].

Paratypes: major and minor workers. Same data as holotype; same locality as holotype but 14 Oct 1991 (J. Longino#3077-s, #3078-s), 2 Jul 1992 (J. Longino#3203-s) [ FMNH, INBC, JTLC, MCZ, UCD, USNM].

Geographic Range

Costa Rica.

Diagnosis

With the morphometric profile of a large number of small Pheidole : ademonia Wilson 2003 , arhuaca Forel 1901 , cardiella Wilson 2003, constipata Wheeler 1908, darlingtoni Wheeler 1936, flavens Roger 1863 , funki LaPolla 2005, harrisonfordi Wilson 2003 , karolsetosa ( new species in this work), micridris Wilson 2003, meinertopsis Wilson 2003, oaxacana Wilson 2003 , sabella Wilson 2003, sculptior Forel 1893 . Minor worker: head relatively broad, CI about 97, versus head relatively narrow, CI 88-93 ( flavens ); clypeus punctate versus smooth and shining ( harrisonfordi ); promesonotum somewhat box-like and dropping abruptly to metanotal groove versus more evenly arched ( ademonia ) or box-like but not dropping as abruptly to metanotal groove ( flavens , harrisonfordi , oaxacana ); promesonotal humeri not at all produced versus relatively more developed ( oaxacana ); promesonotal groove completely absent versus weakly impressed (meinertopsis); side of pronotum and katepisternum uniformly and strongly foveolate versus faintly foveolate to smooth and shining ( ademonia ); pilosity of mesosomal dorsum and first gastral tergite moderately abundant versus relatively sparser and more regular ( ademonia , constipata ); petiolar node relatively robust, proportionately large relative to anterior petiolar peduncle, apex fully foveolate, versus petiolar node smaller, proportionately smaller relative to anterior peduncle, apex smooth and shiny ( harrisonfordi , oaxacana ); dorsal (outer) margin of hind tibia with short decumbent pilosity only, no long erect hairs, versus with three or more long erect setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia, longer than maximum width of tibia and differentiated from underlying shorter subdecumbent pubescence ( karolsetosa , oaxacana ); color uniformly orange brown versus bicolored, mesosoma light yellow white, head and gaster darker ( darlingtoni , endemic to Haiti). Major worker: head in lateral view deep, with strongly convex dorsal surface, versus head relatively flatter in lateral view, with less convex dorsal surface ( constipata , flavens , harrisonfordi ); head with moderately convex sides and posterior margin shallowly emarginate versus with more convex sides and more strongly cordate posterior margin (cardiella); inner hypostomal teeth present versus absent (micridris); face rugose foveolate throughout, rugae reticulate on posterior half, versus posterior face more coarsely rugose with shiny interspaces ( ademonia ) or vertex lobes smooth and shiny ( arhuaca , sabella) or vertex lobes more uniformly foveolate with reduced rugulation (meinertopsis); antennal scrobe absent versus weakly developed ( ademonia , cardiella, flavens , sculptior ) or strongly developed (funki); pilosity on dorsal surface of mandible relatively abundant, long, suberect, versus sparse, short, fully appressed ( ademonia ); foveolate sculpture of face wrapping around onto ventral surface of head versus posteroventral portion of head capsule smooth and shiny ( ademonia ); face uniformly red brown versus orange with medial dark brown spot ( oaxacana ); promesonotum somewhat box-like and dropping abruptly to metanotal groove versus more evenly arched ( ademonia ) or box-like but not dropping as abruptly to metanotal groove ( flavens ); promesonotal groove completely absent versus weakly impressed (meinertopsis, sabella); side of pronotum foveolate versus smooth and shiny ( ademonia , arhuaca ); postpetiole in dorsal view trapezoidal versus strongly transverse and conulate ( harrisonfordi ); pilosity of mesosomal dorsum and first gastral tergite moderately abundant versus relatively sparser and more regular ( constipata ); dorsal (outer) margin of hind tibia with short decumbent pilosity only, no long erect hairs, versus with three or more long erect setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia, longer than maximum width of tibia and differentiated from underlying shorter subdecumbent pubescence ( karolsetosa , oaxacana ).

Description of minor worker

Measurements (paratype): HL 0.38, HW 0.38, HLA 0.10, SL 0.31, EL 0.09, ML 0.40, PSL 0.04, PMG 0.00, SPL 0.02, PTW 0.08, PPW 0.11, CI 99, SI 83, PSLI 10, PMGI 0, SPLI 5, PPI 139.

Measurements (n=11): HL 0.38-0.42, HW 0.36-0.40, SL 0.31-0.38, CI 90-99, SI 83-103.

Clypeus foveolate; face uniformly foveolate; margin of vertex rounded with median impression; occipital carina narrow, not visible in full face view; scape with abundant erect setae longer than maximum width of scape; promesonotal groove absent; propodeal spines present; entire mesosoma foveolate; abundant setae on promesonotal dorsum; dorsal (outer) margin of hind tibia with short decumbent pilosity, no long erect hairs; first gastral tergum smooth and shining; gastral dorsum with moderately abundant, somewhat stiff setae; color orange.

Description of major worker

Measurements (holotype): HL 0.76, HW 0.74, HLA 0.15, SL 0.37, EL 0.10, ML 0.53, PSL 0.07, PMG 0.00, SPL 0.04, PTW 0.12, PPW 0.17, IHT 0.14, OHT 0.26, CI 97, SI 51, PSLI 10, PMGI 0, SPLI 5, PPI 143, HTI 52.

Measurements (n=9): HL 0.74-0.83, HW 0.70-0.80, SL 0.37-0.44, CI 93-99, SI 51-55.

Head in lateral view deep, with strongly convex dorsal surface; mandible smooth and shiny; clypeus smooth and flat with shallow anterior notch; face rugose foveolate throughout; rugae reticulate on posterior half, increasingly longitudinal and subparallel on anterior half; head with abundant suberect setae projecting from sides of head in face view; scape smooth and shining, terete at base, with abundant erect setae longer than maximum width of scape; hypostomal margin gently curved; median tooth small; inner hypostomal teeth pointed, stout, about one half distance from midline to outer hypostomal teeth; promesonotal groove absent; propodeal spines present; mesosoma largely foveolate; dorsal (outer) margin of hind tibia with short decumbent pilosity, no long erect hairs; pilosity abundant on mesosomal dorsum; first gastral tergite smooth and shining or with variable extent of faint, patchy foveolae near postpetiolar insertion, with abundant flexuous erect setae; color orange brown.

Biology

Pheidole karolmorae occurs throughout Costa Rica in lowland wet forest habitats, from sea level to 800m. It is known exclusively from Winkler and Berlese samples of forest floor leaf litter; the nest is unknown. Major and minor workers are found in litter samples, and one dealate queen has been tentatively associated with workers. The species is relatively common at La Selva Biological Station and nearby Braulio Carrillo National Park, occurring in many litter samples. However, it has never been collected at a bait, in spite of abundant baiting samples from La Selva. This suggests that it is strongly restricted to foraging in and under the litter.

Etymology

This species is named for Karol Mora. Karol worked for several years with Conservation International's TEAM project at La Selva Biological Station, during the time when the project was sampling litter ants as a means of assessing and monitoring biotic response to climate change. Karol was solely responsible for processing the litter samples for ants. Her keen observational skills, ability to recognize hundreds of ant species, and unflagging dedication to the project resulted in a dataset and ant collection that is a major contribution to our knowledge of Neotropical ant communities.

Additional material examined

COSTA RICA: Alajuela, Casa Eladio, Rio Penas Blancas, 10°19'N, 84°43'W, 800m (J. Longino, multiple collections); Heredia, La Selva Biological Station, 10°25'N, 84°01'W, 50m (many collectors, multiple collections); 16km SSW Pto. Viejo, 10°19'N, 84°03'W, 500m (many collectors, multiple collections); Cantarrana, 11km ESE La Virgen, 10°21'N, 84°03'W, 300m (many collectors, multiple collections); 17km N Vol. Barba, 10°17'N, 84°05'W, 800m (many collectors, multiple collections); Limon, Hitoy Cerere Biol. Reserve, 09°40'N, 83°02'W, 200m (J. Longino); Puntarenas, Bijagual, Carara Biol. Reserve, 9°47'N, 84°36'W, 500m (J. Longino); Rancho Quemado, Osa Peninsula, 8°42'N, 83°33'W, 200m (J. Longino).