Pheidole diversipilosa

According to Stefan Cover (personal communication), diversipilosa is common at mid-elevations (1050–1900 m), favoring oak-pine-juniper forests, especially those in creek valleys, where it nests under rocks and in open soil. Colonies have single queens and large populations, which can exceed 1000 workers. Seed caches have been found in some nests. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
The majors of this species are easily recognized by the short (less than 0.05 mm), erect hairs on the dorsum of the gaster. The scape of the major is flattened near the base, but the width is less than the width of the scape near the apex. The scape extends slightly more than ½ the distance to the posterior lateral corner. The anterior half of the head has coarse, reticulated rugae, the posterior half of the head, and the tops of the posterior lateral lobes, are smooth and glossy. The posterior half of the mesonotum is enlarged and swollen, the propodeal spines are well developed, but thick. The lateral connules on the postpetiole are absent. The minor worker has most surfaces punctate, with shining areas in the middle of the head, dorsum and side of the pronotum, and the gaster. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Also see the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Southwestern Texas to the mountains of southern and central Arizona. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Habitat
Oak forests, alligator juniper, Chihuahua pine forests. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Biology
Brood is found in nests in April, sexuals in June. Nests appear to be monogynous, even though the nests are very large. Foragers are attracted to tuna baits. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  diversipilosa. Pheidole crassicornis var. diversipilosa Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 467 (s.w.q.) U.S.A. Junior synonym of crassicornis: Creighton, 1950a: 175; Gregg, 1959: 20. Revived from synonymy and raised to species: Naves, 1985: 61. See also: Wilson, 2003: 153.

Description
From Wilson (2003): Very close to Pheidole crassicornis from which it differs in the major by abundant pilosity on the mesosoma and gaster, and Pheidole tetra, from which it differs in the major by the much shorter pilosity on the first gastral tergite and by sparseness or absence of pilosity on the waist and occiput.

Also resembles Pheidole pilosior and Pheidole porcula in various traits as depicted.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.26, HL 1.34, SL 0.66, EL 0.20, PW 0.66. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.66, HL 0.74, SL 0.76, EL 0.16, PW 0.46.

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



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

Type Material
TEXAS: Ft. Davis, southwestern Texas, col. W. M. Wheeler., - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
L diversipilosa, different (variable) hair, alluding to the major. (Wilson 2003)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Cover S. P., and R. A. Johnson. 20011. Checklist of Arizona Ants. Downloaded on January 7th at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/AZants-2011%20updatev2.pdf
 * Deyrup M. 2016. Ants of Florida: identification and natural history. CRC Press, 423 pages.
 * Deyrup, M. 2003. An updated list of Florida ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist 86(1):43-48.
 * Johnson R. Personnal Database. Accessed on February 5th 2014 at http://www.asu.edu/clas/sirgtools/resources.htm
 * Kay, A. 2002. Applying Optimal Foraging Theory to Assess Nutrient Availability Ratios for Ants. Ecology 83(7):1935-1944
 * LaBrun, E.G. and D.H. Feener Jr. 2007. When trade-offs interact: balance of terror enforces dominance discovery trade-off in a local ant assemblage. Journal of Animal Ecology 76:58-64
 * LeBrun, E.G. 2005. Who Is the Top Dog in Ant Communities? Resources, Parasitoids, and Multiple Competitive Hierarchies. Oecologia 142(4):643-652
 * Mackay W. P. and Mackay, E. E. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 400 pp.
 * McDonald D. L., D. R. Hoffpauir, and J. L. Cook. 2016. Survey yields seven new Texas county records and documents further spread of Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. Southwestern Entomologist, 41(4): 913-920.
 * Naves M. A. 1985. A monograph of the genus Pheidole in Florida, USA (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insecta Mundi 1: 53-90
 * O'Keefe S. T., J. L. Cook, T. Dudek, D. F. Wunneburger, M. D. Guzman, R. N. Coulson, and S. B. Vinson. 2000. The Distribution of Texas Ants. The Southwestern Entomologist 22: 1-92.
 * Wilkinson, E.B. and D.H. Feener Jr. 2007. Habitat Complexity Modifies Ant-Parasitoid Interactions: Implications for Community Dynamics and the Role of Disturbance. Oecologia 152(1):151-161
 * Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press
 * Zettler J. A., M. D. Taylor, C. R. Allen, and T. P. Spira. 2004. Consequences of Forest Clear-Cuts for Native and Nonindigenous Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 97(3): 513-518.