Pheidole chilensis Mayr

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard University Press : 179

Pheidole chilensis Mayr

Pheidole chilensis Mayr 1862: 748.

Types Naturhist. Mus. Wien.

Etymology Named after the country of origin.

diagnosis An unusual species, placed in the diligens group but also reminiscent of teneriffana , an exotic native to Mediterranean area. P. chilensis may also prove to be an exotic.

Major: lacking the 4-lobed profde and broad, convex metanotum of teneriffana ; dorsal surface of the head covered by carinulae except for frontal triangle and midclypeus; carinulae originating on the frontal lobes spread outward as they approach the occiput and then travel back to return to the anterior part of the head in parallel; antennal scrobes present; anterior midclypeal margin excavated; postpetiole from above conulate; all of promesonotum transversely carinulate.

Minor: occiput narrowed and with nuchal collar; postpetiole from above diamond-shaped.

Both castes have abundant, erect hairs on the antennal scapes.

Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.46, HL 1.48, SL 0.94, EL 0.22, PW 0.62 (may be distorted by pin through pronotum).

Paralectotype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.76, SL 0.94, EL 0.14, PW 0.40. color Major: body light reddish yellow, gaster light yellowish brown. Minor: concolorous yellow.

Majors and minors collected in Lima in 1961 are medium reddish brown.

range Known from the type collection from Chile; I have further compared a 1961 series from Lima, Peru, with the Mayr types.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. CHILE: no further data. Scale bars = 1 mm.