Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus.
Author
Wilson, E. O.
text
2003
Harvard University Press
Cambridge, MA, USA
http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu/HymOnline/reference-full.html?id=20017
book
20017
Pheidole nubila Emery
,
new status
Pheidole triconstricta var. nubila Emery
1906c: 153.
Types Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova.
Etymology L
nubila
, cloudy, probably referring to the more foveolate and opaque condition of the body that distinguishes the form from
triconstricta
.
Diagnosis A member of the
diligens
group distinguished as follows.
Major: pronotal dorsum bilobous (hence, promesonotum trilobous) in dorsal-oblique view; extremely sparse pilosity, which is entirely absent on the mesosoma; dense longitudinal carinulae covering all the frontal lobes and extending back over the vertex; rugoreticulum mesad to the eyes.
Minor: all of body except the gaster foveolate and opaque; pronotum with a second convexity in dorsal-oblique view.
Close to
triconstricta
, differing (among other traits) in the more extensive foveolae and carinulae, as well as thinner petiolar node, of the major; and darker color of both castes (q.v.).
See also
anima
,
diligens
,
gagates
,
piceonigra
,
radoszkowskii
, and
stigma
. Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.14, HL 1.18, SL 0.72, EL 0.20, PW 0.56. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.64, SL 0.74, EL 0.14, PW 0.38. Color Major and minor: reddish brown.
Range Besides the type locality (Salta), Kempf (1972b) lists Argentine records from Cordoba, Jujuy, and Santa Fe.
Biology Unknown.
Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. ARGENTINA: Salta (no further locality). Scale bars = 1 mm.