Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus.
Author
Wilson, E. O.
text
2003
Harvard University Press
Cambridge, MA
http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu/HymOnline/reference-full.html?id=20017
book
20017
Pheidole gertrudae
Forel
Pheidole gertrudae
Forel 1886b: xiii. Syn.:
Megalomyrmex humilis Borgmeier
1930: 35, synonymy by Kempf 1960f: 463.
Pheidole gertrudae var. leonhardi
Forel 1901m: 62,
n. syn.
;
Pheidole gertrudae var. loretensis
Santschi 1933f: 108,
n. syn.
Types Mus. Nat. Hist. Geneve.
Etymology Named in honor of Gertrude Naegeli.
diagnosis With the distinctive qualities of the
gertrudae
group: propodeal spines greatly reduced to absent in major, absent in minor; propodeal spiracle extremely large; entire body mostly smooth and shiny. Differs from other members of group (
capillata
,
jeannei
, q.v.) in the major in the following combination of traits: no rugoreticulum on head, humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view; no trace of a propodeal spine, with the basal and declivitous faces of the propodeum in side view meeting in a very wide oblique angle.
measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.30, HL 1.34, SL 0.76, EL 0.26, PW 0.62. Paralectotype type minor: HW 0.64, HL 0.66, SL 0.72, EL 0.14, PW 0.40. Color Major: concolorous light reddish yellow. Minor: concolorous light brownish yellow.
range Widespread in Brazil, from Amazonas to Santa Catarina; also recorded from Tipuani, La Paz, Amazonian Bolivia (
var. leonhardi
types); Canindeyu Department, Paraguay; and Loreto, Misiones, northern Argentina (
var. loretensis
types).
Biology Unknown.
Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. BRAZIL: Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro. Scale bars = 1 mm.