Pheidole quercicola

This species is only known from type specimens. The type colony was collected at a relatively high elevation in humid pine-oak forest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Mexico.

Description
DIAGNOSIS Similar in various traits to Pheidole bilimeki, Pheidole chalca, Pheidole daphne, Pheidole floridana, Pheidole furtiva, Pheidole nebulosa, Pheidole specularis and Pheidole stomachosa, differing as follows.

Major: yellow; profile of promesonotal dorsum flat in side view, descending to metanotum in steep posterior face; humerus discrete and lobose in dorsal-oblique view; occiput broad and deeply concave; postpetiole conate from above; posterior half of head smooth and shiny; and anterior half of dorsal surface of head carinulate; lower margin of pronotum carinulate; middle of mesopleuron with band of broken rugulae.

Minor: occiput broad, strongly concave; promesonotal profile semicircular; propodeal spine equilaterally triangular; postpetiolar node strongly developed in side view; almost all of body smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.12, SL 0.50, EL 0.14, PW 0.54. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.58, SL 0.48, EL 0.08, PW 0.34.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium yellow.

Minor: concolorous light yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Locality Information
MEXICO: vicinity of Omilteme, Guerrero, 2300–2500 m, col. Cornell University Field Party, 1965.

Etymology
L quercicola, oak-dwelling, allusion to habitat of type colony.

Additional References
Text and images from this publication used by permission of the author.