Pheidole cavigenis Wheeler, 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 567

publication ID

20017

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6274264

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/426885DB-E4C3-2EDB-DDFB-1363EBCB3B4B

treatment provided by

Donat

scientific name

Pheidole cavigenis Wheeler
status

new status

Pheidole cavigenis Wheeler   HNS , new status

Pheidole tepicana subsp. cavigenis Wheeler   HNS 1915b: 403.

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L cavigenis   HNS , hollow cheek, significance unknown.

Diagnosis A member of the " pilifera   HNS complex" of the larger pilifera   HNS group; for a characterization of the complex, see under pilifera   HNS . P. cavigenis   HNS is distinguished within the complex by the following combination of traits.

Major: occiput and extensive dorsal surface anterior to the occiput rugoreticulate; a small patch of rugoreticulum is present just posterior to each antennal fossa; humerus very prominent and lobose in dorsal-oblique view; mesonotal convexity absent, but mesonotum descends abruptly to the metanotal groove; propodeal spines long and thin; postpetiole spinose. Minor: almost all of dorsal head surface longitudinally carinulate; propodeal spine needle-shaped. Measurements (mm) Major (Montezuma Pass, Arizona): HW 1.60, HL 1.86, SL 0.74, EL 0.22, PW 0.76. Minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.66, SL 0.62, EL 0.12, PW 0.40.

Color Major: body light reddish brown, mandibles and gaster plain medium brown. Minor: head and gaster medium brown, mesosoma and appendages light brown.

Range Known from several collections in the Huachuca Mts; thence west to Sycamore Canyon in the Pajarito Mts., about 20 miles west of Nogales (Stefan Cover). A series in the Museum of Comparative Zoology from Bocoyna, Chihuahua, belongs to this species but with some differences; it may represent a geographical variant.

biology According to Stefan Cover, who has collected intensively within the range of cavigenis   HNS , this species occurs in grassy gaps in juniper-oak-pinyon woodlands at mid-elevations. Nests are cryptic and seeds are sometimes found inside. Colonies appear to consist of no more than 200-300 individuals.

Figure Upper: major. Lower: minor. ARIZONA: 11 km west-northwest of Montezuma Pass, Huachuca Mts., Cochise Co., 1660 m (Stefan Cover). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pheidole

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