Pheidole obnixa

Nothing is known about the biology of obnixa .

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santa Fé, in Argentina. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Argentina.

Nomenclature

 *  obnixa. Pheidole arciruga r. obnixa Forel, 1912f: 236 (w.) ARGENTINA. Forel, 1913l: 231 (s.q.). Combination in P. (Elasmopheidole): Bruch, 1914: 219. Raised to species: Santschi, 1925e: 157. See also: Wilson, 2003: 138.

Description
From Wilson (2003): Similar to Pheidole aberrans, Pheidole cavifrons and Pheidole longior, distinguished as follows.

Major: head comparatively short (Head Length/Head Width 1.2 mm, the same as aberrans, much shorter than cavifrons and longior); pronotal dorsum covered by widely spaced longitudinal carinulae, with those near the midline curving outward toward the rear; occiput covered by transverse carinulae; humerus, mesonotal convexity, and propodeal spines well developed; a low lobe present on profile of postpetiolar venter. Minor: pronotum covered by semicircular carinulae.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Paralectotype major (Rosario de Santa Fé, Argentina): HW 1.20, HL 1.34, SL 0.50, EL 0.14, PW 0.60. Lectotype minor (Buenos Aires): HW 0.52, HL 0.54, SL 0.40, EL 0.08, PW 0.34.

COLOR Major: concolorous light brown.

Minor: mesosomal waist yellowish brown, head and gaster light brown.



'''Figure. Upper: paralectotype, major (Rosario de Santa Fé, Argentina; only tentatively associated with lectotype minor). Lower: lectotype, minor (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L obnixa, steadfast, resolute, allusion unknown. (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.