Pheidole arctos

Nothing is known about the biology of arctos.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Mexico.

Description
Close to Pheidole gangamon, also of Mexico, and probably also to Pheidole epetrion and Pheidole thrasys, but distinguished from these and other members of the scrobifera group by the following combination of traits.

Major: rear one-fourth of dorsal head surface, rear one-half of the lateral head surfaces, and area between the eye and frontal lobes rugoreticulate; anterior half of the frontal lobes carinulate; entire central half of the dorsal head surface foveolate only; all of promesonotal and postpetiolar dorsa carinulate to rugoreticulate; anterior central strip of first gastral tergite longitudinally striate; humerus composing a very large lobe that projects high above the mesonotal convexity; posterior half of dorsal head profile weakly concave.

Minor: the two humeri conulate, the tip of each bearing very long hairs; head and prothorax entirely smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.28, HL 1.60, SL 0.62, EL 0.18, PW 0.82. Paratype minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.64, SL 0.60, EL 0.12, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major and minor: body dark brown, appendages medium brown, tarsi yellow.



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

Type Locality Information
MEXICO: Gomez Fariás, Tamaulipas, 400–600 m (Cornell University Mexico Field Party, 1964).

Etymology
Gr arctos, bear, alluding to the large size and rough, shaggy appearance of the major.