Pheidole gemmula

The type series is a colony fragment found in a moist white fragment of rotting wood buried in leaf litter, on the floor of mature terra firme rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Peru.

Nomenclature

 *  gemmula. Pheidole gemmula Wilson, 2003: 551, figs. (s.w.) PERU.

Description
DIAGNOSIS A member of the perpusilla group (very small, with 10-segmented antennae), distinguished as follows.

Major: all of dorsum of head except frontal triangle and mid-clypeus covered by longitudinal carinulae; in side view, promesonotal profile forms an unbroken, near-perfect semicircle; propodeal spine small; postpetiolar node in side view depressed; mesosoma, waist, and gaster entirely devoid of sculpture.

Minor: in side view, promesonotal profile forms an unbroken, near-perfect semicircle; propodeal spines reduced to denticles; other than carinulae around the antennal fossae, the entire body lacks sculpturing, and is entirely smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.72, HL 0.72, SL 0.36, EL 0.10, PW 0.34. Paratype minor: HW 0.42, HL 0.44, SL 0.32, EL 0.06, PW 0.24.

COLOR Major: body medium yellow, except for rear four-fifths of head, which is yellowish brown, and a yellowish brown spot in the center of the first gastral tergite.

Minor: concolorous clear yellow.



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

Type Material
PERU: Cuzco Amazónico, 15 km northeast of Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, col. Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin.

Etymology
L gemmula, small jewel.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.