Pheidole pubiventris

This species occurs in open areas and synanthropic habitats. This species appears to have a broad range, as often occurs in species favoring synanthropic habitats, but it is also infrequently collected and, among the few collections, shows a high degree of variability. A winged queen was collected at El Campano in June. (Wilson 2003, Longino 2009)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Southern Brazil to Mexico.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  pubiventris. Pheidole pubiventris Mayr, 1887: 595 (s.), 604 (w.), 607 (q.) BRAZIL. Senior synonym of cearensis, nevadensis, timmii: Wilson, 2003: 218; of indistincta, variegata: Longino, 2009: 66.
 * variegata. Pheidole pubiventris subsp. variegata Emery, 1896g: 72 (s.w.q.) COSTA RICA. Forel, 1908b: 54 (m.). Raised to species: Wilson, 2003: 245. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Longino, 2009: 66.
 * indistincta. Pheidole indistincta Forel, 1899c: 75 (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Longino, 2009: 66. See also: Wilson, 2003: 196.
 * cearensis. Pheidole pubiventris r. cearensis Forel, 1901e: 353 (s.w.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Wilson, 2003: 218.
 * nevadensis. Pheidole pubiventris var. nevadensis Forel, 1901e: 353 (s.w.q.) COLOMBIA. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Wilson, 2003: 218.
 * timmii. Pheidole pubiventris r. timmii Forel, 1901h: 62 (s.w.) U.S.A. Incertae sedis in Myrmicinae: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1414. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Wilson, 2003: 218.

Description
From Wilson (2003): A medium-sized brown member of the diligens group with relatively sparse, extremely long, erect to suberect curving hairs over the dorsa of the head and body.

Major: sculpturing of head consists entirely of carinulae, which are confined to the anterior half of the head capsule; promesonotal profile trilobous and pronotal humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view.

Minor: humerus angulate; pronotum mostly foveolate and opaque.

Similar to Pheidole longiseta, Pheidole sensitiva and Pheidole variegata (= Pheidole pubiventris); differing in many details of body form, sculpturing, and pilosity, as illustrated.

See also the less similar Pheidole blumenauensis, Pheidole rochai, Pheidole seeldrayersi and Pheidole vafra.

Majors from Colombia have shorter pilosity and more angulate humeri than the Brazilian series; and thus may represent a distinct species.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Syntype major (Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard): HW 1.14, HL 1.12, SL 0.86, EL 0.22, PW 0.56. Syntype minor (Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard): HW 0.54, HL 0.68, SL 0.86, EL 0.16, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major: light reddish yellow (probably a callow or faded; fresher specimens are blackish brown).

Minor: body medium brown, with light brown appendages (fresher specimens are blackish brown).



'''Figure. Upper: syntype, major. Lower: syntype, minor. The specimens illustrated are from the. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
Longino (2009):

Syntype major worker, minor worker, queen: Brazil, Santa Catarina (Hetschko) NMW, (examined).

Pheidole pubiventris subsp. variegata Lectotype major worker (here designated, as labeled by Wilson 2003) and associated paralectotype minor worker, queen: Costa Rica, San José (Alfaro) (not examined).

Pheidole indistincta Lectotype major worker (here designated, as labeled by Wilson 2003): Costa Rica (Tonduz) MHNG (examined).

Pheidole pubiventris r. cearensis Syntype major, minor worker: Brazil, Ceará, Biturité (Schmitt) (not examined).

Pheidole pubiventris r. nevadensis Syntype major, minor worker, queen: Colombia, Magdalena, San Antonio, >1000m elevation (Forel) (not examined).

Pheidole pubiventris r. timmii Syntype major, minor worker: U.S.A., Louisiana, New Orleans, "probably of Mexican origin" (Timm) (not examined).

Etymology
L pubiventris, hairy belly, evidently alluding to the conspicuously long pilosity of the gaster. (Wilson 2003)