Pheidole tigris

The type colony was found in spring bamboo (Guadua) forest, nesting in a rotting log. A seed cache and males were present in the nest at the time of collection, 1–4 June. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia.

Nomenclature

 *  tigris. Pheidole tigris Wilson, 2003: 354, figs. (s.w.) COLOMBIA.

Description
A large, very distinctive member of the fallax group, recognizable as follows.

Major: “orange”; almost all of promesonotal and propodeal dorsa, as well as mesopleuron, covered by transverse carinulae; entire rear third of head, including occiput, rugoreticulate; and almost all the anterior two-thirds of the head carinulate, with no accompanying rugoreticulum; petiolar node from the side very high, strongly tapered toward the apex; postpetiolar node 2! broader than petiolar node from above, and elliptical in shape; body everywhere densely pilose.

Minor: yellow; all of posterior dorsal half of head and all of mesosomal dorsum transversely rugulose; propodeal spine absent; occiput drawn into a neck with broad nuchal collar.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 2.16, HL 2.28, SL 1.22, EL 0.34, PW 1.04. Paratype minor: HW 0.61, HL (including collar) 0.90, SL 1.34, EL 0.10, PW 0.50.

COLOR Major: body and antennae very light reddish brown (“orange”), with a dark reddish brown stripe running the length of the midline of the head anteriorly to include the frontal triangle; legs dark reddish yellow.

Minor: concolorous yellow.



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

Type Locality Information
COLOMBIA: 10 km south of San José del Palmer, Rio Torito, Chocó, col. Charles Kugler.

Etymology
L tigris, tiger, i.e. “striped” like one with carinulae.

Additional References
Text and images from this publication used by permission of the author.