Pheidole pinealis Wheeler

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 591

Pheidole pinealis Wheeler

Pheidole pinealis Wheeler 1908h: 459.

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

Etymology Unknown.

diagnosis A member of the " bicarinata complex" of the larger pilifera group, comprising agricola , aurea , barbata , bicarinata , centeotl , cerebrosior , ceres , defecta , gilvescens , macclendoni , macrops , marcidula , paiute , pinealis , vinelandica , xerophila , yaqui , and yucatana , which complex is characterized by the large to very large, forward-set eyes, especially in the minor; and in the major, the occipital lobes lacking any sculpturing (except in aurea ); the posterior half of the head capsule smooth and shiny; and the postpetiole seen from above oval, elliptical, or laterally angulate (cornulate in cerebrosior ). P. pinealis differs within the complex by the following combination of traits.

Major: dark spot on vertex; humerus in dorsal-oblique view right-angulate; petiole in side view tapers to a point, and from behind is deeply concave; postpetiolar lateral extension from above horn-shaped; erect pilosity of pronotum long and dense. Minor: humerus in dorsal-oblique view feebly subangulate; postpetiole from above roughly diamond-shaped. Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.24, SL 0.52, EL 0.14, PW 0.54. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.48, HL 0.54, SL 0.46, EL 0.10, PW 0.30.

color Major: head and mesosoma light brown with a slightly reddish tinge; center of head dorsum with contrasting circular dark brown spot, as illustrated; waist and gaster dark brown; appendages brownish yellow.

Minor: concolorous medium brown (brownish yellow, possibly faded, in paralectotype); appendages yellowish brown.

Range Known only from western Texas and a series from Guanajuato, central Mexico.

biology The type colony was found beneath a stone; the nest contained seed caches (Wheeler 1908h). In western Texas, Moody and Francke found three colonies, variously at 1000-1200 m, nesting, respectively, beneath a stone and cow dung and in open soil.

FIGURE Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. TEXAS: Limpio Canyon, Ft. Davis, Davis Mts., Jeff Davis Co., southwestern Texas (W. M. Wheeler). Scale bars = 1 mm.