Pheidole fracticeps

Probably a rainforest species. The South American specimens were taken variously from leaf litter and soil. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from the type locality (Trinidad); Yasuni Research Station, Puerto Tiputini, Yasuni National Park, Ecuador; two series from Brazil; and Reserva Mbaracayú, Dept. Canindeyú, Paraguay. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  fracticeps. Pheidole fracticeps Wilson, 2003: 133, figs. (s.w.) TRINIDAD.

Description
A member of the aberrans group closest to the Argentine species Pheidole lilloi, differing from it and other species in the group by the following set of traits.

Major: very small; yellow; hypostoma 4-toothed; in side view, occiput juts out like a brow, with the principal transverse carina (in profile) giving it a sharp edge, and the profile of the head below it dipping away as a strong concavity; in full-face view, occiput bearing the principal demarcating transverse carina plus several others that cross as irregular lines; eye elliptical, placed forward to a little more than an Eye Length from the anterior genal border.

Minor: dorsal surface of head and most of mesosoma and waist foveolate, with a near absence of carinulae overall.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.68, HL 0.86, SL 0.30, EL 0.10, PW 0.40. Paratype minor: HW 0.38, HL 0.44 (approximately), SL 0.34, EL 0.06, PW 0.24.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium yellow. Minor: concolorous yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor (head partly crushed). Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
TRINIDAD: Maracas Valley col. N. A. Weber, May 1936.

Etymology
L fracticeps, broken head, from the appearance of the major occiput.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Christianini A. V., A. J. Mayhé-Nunes, and P. S. Oliveira. 2012. Exploitation of Fallen Diaspores By Ants: Are There Ant-Plant Partner Choices? Biotropica 44: 360-367.
 * Fernandes I., and J. de Souza. 2018. Dataset of long-term monitoring of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the influence areas of a hydroelectric power plant on the Madeira River in the Amazon Basin. Biodiversity Data Journal 6: e24375.
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Gallego-Ropero M.C., R.M. Feitosa & J.R. Pujol-Luz, 2013. Formigas (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Associadas a Ninhos de Cornitermes cumulans Kollar (Isoptera, Termitidae) no Cerrado do Planalto Central do Brasil. EntomoBrasilis, 6(1): 97-101.
 * Pacheco R., H. L. Vasconcelos, S. Groc, G. P. Camacho, and T. L. M. Frizzo. 2013. The importance of remnants of natural vegetation for maintaining ant diversity in Brazilian agricultural landscapes. Biodivers. Conserv. DOI 10.1007/s10531-013-0463-y
 * Pires de Prado L., R. M. Feitosa, S. Pinzon Triana, J. A. Munoz Gutierrez, G. X. Rousseau, R. Alves Silva, G. M. Siqueira, C. L. Caldas dos Santos, F. Veras Silva, T. Sanches Ranzani da Silva, A. Casadei-Ferreira, R. Rosa da Silva, and J. Andrade-Silva. 2019. An overview of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the state of Maranhao, Brazil. Pap. Avulsos Zool. 59: e20195938.
 * Vasconcelos, H.L. and J.M.S. Vilhena. 2006. Species turnover and vertical partitioning of ant assemblages in the Brazilian Amazon: A comparison of forests and savannas. Biotropica 38(1):100-106.
 * Vasconcelos, H.L., J.M.S. Vilhena, W.E. Magnusson and A.L.K.M. Albernaz. 2006. Long-term effects of forest fragmentation on Amazonian ant communities. Journal of Biogeography 33:1348-1356
 * Wild, A. L. "A catalogue of the ants of Paraguay (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." Zootaxa 1622 (2007): 1-55.