Pheidole carapunco

The biology of this species is unknown.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
A temperate montane Argentine species, known only from Salta and Tucumán. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Argentina.

Nomenclature

 *  carapunco. Pheidole carapunco Kusnezov, 1952b: 82 (s.w.q.m.) ARGENTINA. See also: Wilson, 2003: 389.

Description
From Wilson (2003): Placed tentatively in the flavens group, but with a habitus intermediate to that of the tristis group. Major: large (for flavens group); carinulae originating on anterior margin of the eye spread forward from one another in traveling to the genal border; a broad, continuous band of rugoreticulum extends from the inner margin of one eye to that of the other across the vertex. The true characteristics of this species will remain problematic until fresh material is collected.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Syntype major: HW 1.20, HL 1.24, SL 0.62, EL 0.20, PW 0.54. Minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.60, SL 0.48, EL 0.10, PW 0.14.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium reddish brown. Minor: head and gaster yellowish brown; mesosoma, waist, and appendages dark yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: syntype, major (a composite from 2 damaged specimens; Carapunco, between Tafi de Valle and Infiernillos, Tucumán, 2600 m, N. Kusnezov). Lower: minor (El Rey, Salta, 2200 m, N. Kusnezov). The major syntype is partly decayed, and may have lost most of its pilosity. The El Rey minor is undecayed, and the pilosity appears intact. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
and

Type Locality Information
Carapunco, between Tafi de Valle and Infiernillos, Tucumán, 2600 m, N. Kusnezov. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
Named after the type locality. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Kusnezov, N. 1952d (“1951”). El género Pheidole en la Argentina (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Acta Zool. Lilloana 12: 5–88.

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