Pheidole harrisonfordi

This species is a ubquitous inhabitant of wet forest leaf litter. It is one of the most frequently encountered species in Winkler samples. Minor and major workers may also come to baits, where they are timid and rapidly disappear into the litter when disturbed. In spite of its ubiquity in Winkler samples, I have never found a nest. Queens are relatively common in Winkler samples, suggesting they most likely nest in small bits of rotten wood in the litter. But it is also possible they have subterranean nests.Specimens in Winkler samples often exhibit variable color, ranging from uniformly dark brown, to somewhat mottled, to a paler dirty brown. It is as though workers tan slowly or begin foraging before fully tanned.

Southern Mexico to Costa Rica. The northern and southern limits of the range should be considered dotted lines at this point, given my lack of knowledge beyond those areas. Elevational range is typically sea-level to about 1600m, where it may be replaced by highland species. An exception may be Biotopo El Quetzal in Guatemala, where a harrisonfordi-like form extends to nearly 2000m.

Minor worker: head length 0.41mm, head width 0.38mm, scape length 0.32mm, Webers length 0.46mm (n=1). Head flattened behind; mesonotal suture absent; propodeal spines medium length; face and mesosoma uniformly foveolate; first gastral tergum smooth and shining; about 16-20 setae on promesonotal dorsum, medium length, flexuous; setae on gastral dorsum medium length, somewhat stiff; hind tibia with or without long erect setae in addition to underlying suberect pubescence; color red brown.Major worker: head length 0.78mm, head width 0.75mm, scape length 0.34mm (n=1). Face rugose foveolate throughout; rugae reticulate on posterior half, increasingly longitudinal and subparallel on anterior half; hypostomal margin gently curved; median tooth small; lateral teeth pointed, stout, about one third distance from midline to recessed teeth flanking mandible bases; dorsal pilosity abundant; head with abundant suberect setae projecting from sides of head in face view.Similar species: rectisentis, specularis, karolmorae, flavens.rectisentis: in the Central American highlands from Chiapas to Nicaragua there is often an abrupt transition from harrisonfordi at the lower limit of cloud forest to rectisentis being dominant in the cloud forest. Minor worker: postpetiole larger, more trapezoidal in dorsal view; hind tibia more pilose, with erect setae; sympatric harrisonfordi has smaller postpetiole, lacks erect setae on hind tibia. Major worker: head generally larger, less depressed vertex lobes; postpetiole proportionally longer and narrower in dorsal view.Biotopo El Quetzal in Guatemala does not have rectisentis, but does have a dominant form of harrisonfordi that is larger, more heavily sculptured than any other harrisonfordi. This is a possible case of character displacement.specularis: this species is broadly sympatric with harrisonfordi. Minor worker: hind tibia with 2-3 long erect setae in addition to more appressed pubescence; propodeal spines larger.karolmorae: in the Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica and Nicaragua this species is broadly sympatric with harrisonfordi. Minor worker: clypeus punctate versus smooth and shining; promesonotum somewhat box-like and dropping abruptly to metanotal groove versus box-like but not dropping as abruptly. Major worker: head in lateral view deep, with strongly convex dorsal surface, versus head relatively flatter in lateral view, with less convex dorsal surface. flavens: this species is broadly sympatric with harrisonfordi. Minor worker: color lighter yellow brown; postpetiole smaller in dorsal view. Major worker: color similar to minor; vertex lobes smooth and shiny; postpetiole narrower, more trapezoidal.

Pheidole harrisonfordi Wilson, 2003a: 433, figs. (s.w.) HONDURAS. Neotropic. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

Senior synonym of Pheidole prolixa: Longino, 2009 PDF: 37.Senior synonym of Pheidole ruida: Longino, 2009 PDF: 37.Senior synonym of Pheidole tenebra: Longino, 2009 PDF: 37.