Pheidole descolei Kusnezov

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 680

Pheidole descolei Kusnezov

Pheidole descolei Kusnezov 1952d: 76.

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard; Mus. Zool. Univ. Sao Paulo; Inst. Miguel Lillo Tucuman.

Etymology Eponymous.

Diagnosis A medium-sized, yellowish species of uncertain affinities.

Major: head moderately elongate, its anterior dorsal surface carinulate and with no rugoreticulum; pilosity sparse, nearly absent from margin of the head in full-face view; entire mesosoma and waist foveolate and opaque; humeri in dorsal-oblique view prominently raised and narrowly lobate; postpetiole from above elliptical.

Minor: occiput broad, lacking nuchal collar; entire head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque; pilosity sparse, largely absent from margin of head in full-face view.

The sparse pilosity in both castes may be due to decomposition.

Measurements (mm) Major (Campo Limpo, Sao Paulo): HW 1.40, HL 1.54, SL 0.66, EL 0.20, PW 0.68. Minor (Campo Limpo, Sao Paulo): HW 0.56, HL 0.62, SL 0.58, EL 0.10, PW 0.36.

color Major: head and mandibles clear reddish yellow; mesosoma brownish yellow; gaster medium brown; antennae and legs clear dark yellow.

Minor: head medium yellowish brown; mesosoma, waist, and appendages light yellowish brown; gaster medium brown.

Range Known only from the localities in Argentina and Brazil cited above.

Biology Unknown.

figure Upper: major (Campo Limpo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; associated with minors that were compared with type minors). Lower: minor (Campo Limpo, Sao Paulo, compared with types, which are badly decomposed and fragmented). (Type locality: Apolinario Saravia, Salta, Argentina.) Scale bars = 1 mm.