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Species: Pheidole beloceps

Name Status: Valid Name

Taxonomic Hierarchy:

Subfamily: Myrmicinae Genus: Pheidole

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2013)

Pheidole beloceps Wilson, 2003A: 376, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA. AntCat AntWiki

Distribution:

Costa Rica: Atlantic and southern Pacific lowlands.

Biology:

Natural History:

This species inhabits lowland wet to moist forest leaf litter. It is most often encountered in Winkler and Berlese samples. Workers were once collected at a honey/oil bait on the forest floor. Its frequency in Berlese samples suggests it is largely subterranean.

Taxon Page Author History

Taxonomic Treatment (provided by Plazi)

Wilson, E. O.:
etymology Gr beloceps , arrow-headed, referring to the elongate and vertically thin head capsule.
diagnosis A small, yellow species whose major has an elongated head, the dorsal surface of which, with the exception of the midclypeus and frontal triangle, is completely foveolate and opaque; the rest of the cephalic sculpturing comprising longitudinal carinulae confined to the anterior half of the capsule; antennal scrobe absent; thick long, vertical propodeal spines are present, thin tips turning slightly forward in side view; small, subangulate mesonotal convexity present, and postpetiolar node conulate. Similar to charazana , longinoi , neolongiceps , and prolixa , but differing from each in various combinations of the above traits, and other traits, as illustrated.
Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.74, HL 0.96, SL 0.30, EL 0.06, PW 0.42. Paratype minor: HW 0.40, HL 0.48, SL 0.36, EL 0.04, PW 0.26. color Major: body dark yellow, appendages medium yellow. Minor: concolorous medium yellow.
Range Costa Rica.
Biology Found in leaf litter of lowland rainforest; workers were attracted to baits (Longino 1997).
figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COSTA RICA: 4 km east of Turrialba, Cartago, 550 m (J. T. Longino). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Specimen Data Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 240 times found in mature wet forest, 46 times found in montane wet forest, 32 times found in ridgetop cloud forest, 19 times found in tropical wet forest, 17 times found in cloud forest, 14 times found in mixed hardwood forest, 15 times found in lowland rainforest, 1 times found in Puesto5,36G,10m., 3 times found in wet montane forest, 3 times found in mesophil forest, ...

Collected most commonly using these methods or in the following microhabitats: 307 times miniWinkler, 37 times baiting, 35 times MaxiWinkler, 24 times Mini Winkler, 8 times Berlese, 11 times Winkler, 2 times Malaise, 1 times flight intercept trap, 1 times Lure/Bait

Elevations: collected from 50 - 1500 meters, 468 meters average