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Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2017)

Distribution:

Neotropical Region: Belize, Brazil, Cayo, Chiapas, Chontales, Comayagua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Heredia, Honduras, Izabal, Jamaica, Jinotega, Limón, Matagalpa, Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte, Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur, San José, Veracruz

Distribution Notes:

Mexico to Costa Rica. Costa Rica: Atlantic and southern Pacific lowlands.

Biology:

Natural History:

This species occurs in mature wet forest. It is a relatively common arboreal ant, nesting in dead branches and under epiphytes. Colonies often appear large, with workers scattered over a wide area.

Notes:

Wilson (2003) examined the lectotype major of this species. For locality he put "Puerto Jimenez, Osa Peninsula," but this is probably an error. We are not certain if that town existed in the late 1800's, and it was not one of Alfaro's standard collecting localities. In contrast, Jimenez, near present day Guapiles on the Atlantic slope, was an Alfaro collecting site. It is the type locality for many Neotropical ants, probably including nitidicollis.

Based on Wilson's illustrations and text, we are not convinced there is a difference between Emery's nitidicollis and Wheeler's sagana.

References:

Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Ant Genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass

Taxonomic Treatment (provided by Plazi)

Specimen Habitat Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 30 times found in montane wet forest, 7 times found in ridgetop cloud forest, 4 times found in lowland rainforest, 3 times found in tropical wet forest, 3 times found in CC 1250, 3 times found in STR, 1 times found in mature rainforest, 1 times found in 2º lowland rainforest, 3 times found in CC 1200 m., 2 times found in CC 1300 m., ...

Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 7 times ex sifted leaf litter, 11 times copa de árbol, 6 times beating vegetation, 4 times STR, 4 times Malaise trap, 2 times in fresh treefall, 1 times N-S leg of LEP; the following three colonies in thick dead snag, soft and rotten, 3 times bajo de M/28, 1 times nest in cavities in dead branch, 2 times at bait, 1 times under epiphytes, ...

Collected most commonly using these methods: 27 times Malaise, 16 times Fogging, 6 times miniWinkler, 6 times Beating, 6 times Foggin, 4 times search, 6 times flight intercept trap, 1 times Winkler, 2 times Baiting, 1 times Mini Winkler, 1 times YPT, ...

Elevations: collected from 5 - 1150 meters, 373 meters average

Type specimens: Lectotype of Pheidole dimidiata nitidicollis: casent0904428; paralectotype of Pheidole dimidiata nitidicollis: casent0904429; paralectotype Pheidole sagana: jtlc000016517, jtlc000016518

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