Pheidole optiva

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 333

Pheidole optiva Forel

Pheidole optiva Forel 190ld: 132.

Types Mus. Hist. Nat. Geneve; Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Unknown.

Diagnosis A member of the fallax group, sharing some traits with sciara but differing from it and other group members as follows. Major: antennal scapes reaching a little less than midway between eyes and occipital comers; carinulae of dorsal head surface also reaching halfway between eye and occipital comers; dorsal head surface foveolate except for frontal triangle, mid-clypeus, and occipital border, which are smooth and shiny; pronotal dorsum and rest of mesosoma foveolate, lacking carinulae; pronotum in dorsaloblique view a single convexity peaked at humerus; propodeal spines directed posteriorly; postpetiole elliptical from above; pilosity sparse to moderate over body, and on the first gastral tergite consisting substantially of short subrecumbent hairs. Minor: eyes medium in size, with Eye Length one-fifth Head Width; all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque to feebly shiny; occiput broad and concave in frontal view.

Measurements (mm) Syntype major: HW 1.12, HL 1.20, SL 0.64, EL 0.14, PW 0.60. Syntype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.70, SL 0.68, EL 0.12, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: body light reddish brown except for gaster, which is medium reddish brown. Minor: body medium reddish yellow except for gaster, which is dark reddish yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

biology Wheeler (190lh) took the type series, which he transmitted to Forel, from large colonies nesting beneath tree-shaded stones in a ravine at Cuemavaca. Both the majors and minors were "remarkably slow" in their movements.

Figure Upper: syntype, major. Lower: syntype, minor. MEXICO: Cuernavaca, Morelos (William M. Wheeler). Scale bars = 1 mm.