Pheidole securigera

The type colony was collected in spiny bamboo forest (Guadua). A male was present in the nest at the time of collection 1–4 June. (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: Colombia.

Nomenclature

 *  securigera. Pheidole securiger Wilson, 2003: 751, figs. (s.w.) COLOMBIA.

Description
DIAGNOSIS Similar to Pheidole pidax, Pheidole rosae, Pheidole rosula, and especially to Pheidole guayasana, differing as follows.

Major: reddish yellow; frontal lobes extended forward as conspicuous right-angular and slightly upward-turning processes, seen from the side; antennal scrobes present, each followed posteriorly by a patch of rugoreticulum; rugoreticulum absent from anterior half of head; occipital lobes in full-face view tending toward subangulate; posterior half of pronotal profile smoothly convex in dorsaloblique view; metanotum and dorsal propodeal face covered by transverse carinulae.

Minor: propodeal spines small, but well developed; entire promesonotal dorsum transversely carinulate; lateral margins of posterior half of head entirely carinulate.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.58, HL 1.72, SL 0.78, EL 0.16, PW 0.80. Paratype minor: HW 0.64, HL 0.68, SL 0.80, EL 0.04, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: body dark reddish yellow, gaster plain medium brown, appendages medium yellow.

Minor: body light brownish yellow, appendages clear medium yellow.



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

Type Material
COLOMBIA: Finca Los Guaduales, 10 km southwest of San José del Palmar, Rio Torito, 800 m, col. Charles Kugler.

Etymology
L securiger, axe-bearing, alluding to the extended frontal lobes.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Wilson E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, [ix] + 794 pp.