Pheidole senilis, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 752

Pheidole senilis Santschi, new status

Pheidole hetschkoi var. senilis Santschi 1929d: 289.

Types Naturhist. Mus. Basel.

Etymology L senilis , old, aged, probably alluding to the wrinkly head surface.

diagnosis Similar to aper , bambusarum , brevicona , dyctiota , laeviventris , lutzi , risii , rugatula , sigillata , trachyderma , and traini , differing as follows.

Major: very large; in full-face view, occiput covered by faint oblique carinulae that originate on midline and turn outward; most of vertex and sides of head rugoreticulate, frontal lobes carinulate; in full-face view, semicircular carinulae of antennal fossa are sharply demarcated from the carinulae that cross over anteriorly to the lateral wings of the clypeus; pronotal dorsum loosely rugoreticulate, with sides and lower half of the mesopleuron smooth; postpetiole 2X broader than petiole, and spinose.

Minor: posterior dorsum and sides of head "tiger-striped" with semicircular carinulae; humeri rugoreticulate; occiput narrow, with nuchal collar.

Measurements (mm) Major (Agua Funda, Sao Paulo): HW 2.20, HL 2.34, SL 1.00, EL 0.24, PW 1.04.

Lectotype minor: HW 0.80, HL 0.84, SL 0.94, EL 0.16, PW 0.56.

color Major and minor: body medium reddish brown, appendages reddish yellow.

Range Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo states, Brazil.

Biology The Agua Funda colony was collected in rotten wood.

Figure Upper: major (Agua Funda, near Sao Funda, Sao Paulo; W. L. Brown; associated with minor compared with lectotype minor). Lower: minor (Agua Funda, Sao Paulo; compared with lectotype minor). (Type locality: Passa Quatro, Minas Gerais, Brazil; no majors were in type series.) Scale bars = 1 mm.