Pheidole sarcina

Nothing is known about the biology of sarcina.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
From Wilson (2003): Known from type locality, from other localities in São Paulo, and from near Bucay, Guayas, Ecuador (W. L. Brown).

This taxon was described from Brazil.

Nomenclature

 *  sarcina. Pheidole breviconus var. sarcina Forel, 1912f: 230 (s.w.) BRAZIL. Raised to species: Wilson, 2003: 748.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS Similar in various traits to Pheidole alpinensis, Pheidole androsana, Pheidole antillana, Pheidole avia, Pheidole bakeri, Pheidole guilelmimuelleri and Pheidole praeses, differing in the following combination.

Major: frontal lobes project for short distance as lobes, in side view; humerus obliquely subangulate and mesonotal convexity rightangulate in dorsal-oblique view; petiolar node tapers to a rounded point in side view; postpetiole spinose; shallow, narrow antennal scrobe present; carinulae originating on frontal lobes spread outward all the way to the occiput; occipital lobes smooth with scattered foveae; small rugoreticulum behind each antennal fossa; most of pronotal dorsum and propodeal dorsum carinulate.

Minor: occiput narrow, with nuchal collar; all of posterior dorsum of head and almost all of mesonotal and propodeal dorsa “tigerstriped” with semicircular and transverse carinulae; propodeal spine reduced to denticle.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Syntype major: HW 1.54, HL 1.54, SL 0.80, EL 0.18, PW 0.72. Syntype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.70, SL 0.82, EL 0.12, PW 0.46.

COLOR Major: body medium reddish brown, appendages light reddish brown.

Minor: head and mesosoma medium reddish brown; waist, gaster, and appendages light reddish brown.



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

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
BRAZIL: Botucatu, São Paulo. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L sarcina, package, bundle, possibly alluding to frontal cephalic carinulae. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Forel, A. 1912. Formicides néotropiques, Part III: 3me sousfamille Myrmicinae (suite). Genres Cremastogaster et Pheidole. Mém. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 19: 211–237.

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