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 heterothrix
Santschi,
new status
Pheidole obtusopilosa st. heterothrix
Santschi 1923d: 59. Syn.:
Pheidole gavrilovi Kusnezov
1952d: 80,
n. syn.
types Naturhist. Mus. Basel.
Etymology Gr
heterothrix
, different hair (from that of
obtusopilosa
).
Diagnosis Similar to
obtusopilosa
in some traits but distinguished from it and other
Pheidole
species as follows. Major: patch of rugoreticulum present between eye and antennal fossa on each side; entire remainder of dorsal surface of head, including occiput, carinulate; very faint antennal scrobe present; promesonotal profde smoothly rounded; mesonotal convexity low but with distinct anterior and posterior declivities; all of pronotum carinulate; humeri rugoreticulate; pilosity dense and short; postpetiole from above conulate.
Minor: humerus subangulate; propodeal spines robust, moderately long, and directed backward; all of body except gaster foveolate. Measurements (mm) Lectotype major {
heterothrix
, not "
gavrilovi
"): HW 1.12, HL 1.16, SL 0.54, EL 0.18, PW 0.62. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.54, SL 0.44, EL 0.10, PW 0.32.
Color Major: all of body light reddish brown except gaster, which is medium reddish brown. Minor: body dark reddish brown, appendages medium reddish brown.
range In addition to the types, from Villaguay, Entre Rios, Argentina, I have seen series from the Argentine provinces of La Pampa, Misiones, and Tucuman.
Biology One series, collected by W. L. Brown at Horco Molle, Tucuman, was found at 900-1150 m in myrtaceous forest.
Figure Upper: major (syntype of synonymous
gavrilovi
). Lower: minor (syntype of synonymous
gavrilovi
). ARGENTINA: Loreto, Misiones, Argentina. Compared with lectotype and paralectotype of
heterothrix
; upper outlines of minor mesosoma and occiput are those of
heterothrix
syntype. (Type locality of
heterothrix
: Villaguay, Entre Rios, Argentina.) Scale bars = 1 mm.