Pheidole multispina, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 466

Pheidole multispina new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L multispina , many spines.

Diagnosis A very distinctive little species similar to the species listed in the heading above, but easily recognized as follows. Major: in side view, promesonotal convexity raised as a right angle that drops off through a long, steep face to the metanotum; in dorsal-oblique view the pronotum, mesonotum, and propodeum each bear conspicuous paired angles or spines; the pronotal angles from above extend far beyond the rest of the pronotum below, and the propodeal spines are large and equilaterally triangular; head quadrate in full-face view, with posterior half smooth and anterior half partly carinulate; posterior half of dorsal head profile weakly concave; all of mesosoma and dorsal surface of head foveolate. Minor: mesosoma configured as described for major; occiput very broad and flat. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.70, HL 0.72, SL 0.34, EL 0.12, PW 0.40. Paratype minor: HW 0.40, HL 0.40, SL 0.32, EL 0.06, PW 0.24.

color Major: head and mandibles light brown; mesosoma and other appendages medium brown; gaster dark, almost blackish brown.

Minor: the Panamanian types are dark brown; specimens from Costa Rica vary from reddish yellow to reddish brown.

Range Occurs in tropical forests in Panama and, according to Longino (1997), the southwestern lowlands of Costa Rica.

Biology In Costa Rica, Longino (1997) found a colony nesting in a flat cavity beneath loose bark on top of a rotten log; and in Panama, Alfred E. Emerson found it in small cavities inside a rotten log.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. PANAMA: Barro Colorado Island. Scale bars = 1 mm.