Pheidole tachigaliae

Found on the ant-plant Tachigalia. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
From Wilson (2003): Known from the type locality and from Kaw, French Guiana, col. Mark W. Moffett.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: French Guiana, Guyana.

Nomenclature

 *  tachigaliae. Pheidole tachigaliae Wheeler, W.M. 1921f: 148 (s.w.q.) GUYANA. Combination in P. (Hendecapheidole): Wheeler, W.M. 1922d: 3. See also: Smith, M.R. 1955c: 304; Wilson, 2003: 639.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the tachigaliae group, characterized by very small size and 11-segmented antennae, this species is easily recognized by the following traits.

Major: dorsal surface of head longitudinally carinulate (not transversely carinulate as in other tachigaliae-group species); pronotal dorsum lightly sprinkled with foveolae, feebly shiny; propodeal spines short, stout and directed strongly backward.

Minor: all of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.64, HL 0.74, SL 0.32, EL 0.08, PW 0.40. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.34, HL 0.38, SL 0.28, EL 0.08, PW 0.22.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium yellow; vertex with a fuzzy, circular brown spot as illustrated.

Minor: concolorous pale yellow.



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

Type Material
GUYANA: Kartabo, col. William M. Wheeler. - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
L tachigaliae, referring to the plant on which the type colony was found. (Wilson 2003)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Lapolla, J. S., and S. P. Cover. "New species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) from Guyana, with a list of species known from the country." Transactions of the American Entomological Society 131, no. 3-4 (2005): 365-374.
 * Smith M. R. 1955. Ants of the genus Pheidole, subgenus Hendecapheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 57: 301-305.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1921. The Tachigalia ants. Zoologica (New York) 3: 137-168.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1942. Studies of Neotropical ant-plants and their ants. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 90: 1-262.