Pheidole macclendoni Wheeler

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 582

Pheidole macclendoni Wheeler

Pheidole macclendoni Wheeler 1908h: 450.

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

Etymology Eponymous.

diagnosis A member of the " bicarinata complex" of the larger pilifera group, comprising agricola , aurea , barbata , bicarinata , centeotl , cerebrosior , defecta , gilvescens , macclendoni , macrops , marcidula , micula , paiute , pinealis , vinelandica , xerophila , yaqui , and yucatana , which complex is characterized by the large to very large, forward-set eyes of both castes, especially the minor; and, in the major, the occipital lobes lacking any sculpturing (except in aurea ); the posterior half of the head capsule almost entirely smooth and shiny; and the postpetiolar node seen from above oval, elliptical, or laterally angulate (cornulate in cerebrosior ). P. macclendoni is distinguished by the presence of a supermajor in addition to the major caste and is further distinguished by the following traits.

Major: long, thin propodeal spine; prominent humeral lobe in dorsal-oblique view; bell-shaped postpetiolar node seen from above. Supermajor: lacks sculpturing on the posterior half of the head.

Minor: propodeal spines reduced to denticles; humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view; very low postpetiolar node in side view; bell-shaped postpetiolar node seen from above.

Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.50, HL 1.60, SL 0.82, EL 0.26, PW 0.74. Paralectotype supermajor: HW 2.74, HL 2.58, SL 1.02, EL 0.34,. PW (not measured). Paralectotype minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.64, SL 0.60, EL 0.18, PW 0.38. Color Major: reddish yellow, gaster a slightly contrasting yellowish brown. Supermajor: concolorous reddish yellow.

Minor: body light brown, appendages a lighter shade of yellowish brown.

Range Evidently scarce, recorded from Arizona, as well as central and western Texas.

Biology In western Texas Moody and Francke (1982) discovered two colonies nesting in open soil and one beneath a clump of grass. Winged queens were found by William S. Creighton at Dryden, Texas, on 29 December.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major (body and full head), Corsicana, in Navarro Co. near Dallas, Texas. Paralectotype, supermajor (partial head only), Benson, Cochise Co., Arizona. Lower: paralectotype, minor, Laredo, Webb Co., Texas. Scale bars = 1 mm.