Pheidole transversostriata

Forel (1901) collected the species from soil in Colombia. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
P. transversostriata is evidently a wide-ranging but locally uncommon species, known from scattered records from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and Trinidad (Port of Spain) to the Guianas, Colombia, and Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina, Brazil. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Guyana.

Nomenclature

 *  transversostriata. Pheidole transversostriata Mayr, 1887: 584 (s.) GUYANA. Senior synonym of lacerta, nigridens: Wilson, 2003: 645.
 * nigridens. Pheidole transversostriata var. nigridens Forel, 1901e: 362 (s.w.) COLOMBIA. Junior synonym of transversostriata: Wilson, 2003: 645.
 * lacerta. Pheidole lacerta Wheeler, W.M. 1922c: 6 (s.) TRINIDAD. Junior synonym of transversostriata: Wilson, 2003: 645.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the transversostriata group distinguished in the major by the broad ladder-like array of transverse carinae that extend unbroken from the occiput to the frontal lobes where they curve anteriorly to the ends of the lobes. It is close to scalaris of Costa Rica, differing in the major in the lack of rugoreticulum on the occiput (completely reticulate in scalaris) and less elongate head (Head Length 1.2! Head Width versus Head Length 1.3! Head Width in scalaris), and in the minor by the completely foveolate sides of the pronotum (versus smooth and shiny in scalaris). However, a major syntype of transversostriata “var. nigridens” from Colombia has the corners of the occiput rugoreticulate and is thus intermediate between transversostriata and scalaris in this character. The two forms may prove to be geographic variants (or good species) when more material becomes available.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Unique holotype major: HW 0.66, HL 0.80, SL 0.34, EL 0.10, PW 0.36. Minor (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands): HW 0.40, HL 0.44, SL 0.36, EL 0.06, PW 0.26.

COLOR Major: medium yellowish brown, with head a shade lighter and gaster a shade darker than mesosoma and waist.

Minor: concolorous yellowish brown, legs clear yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: major (syntype of synonymous P. lacerta Wheeler, Port of Spain, Trinidad, compared with unique holotype of P. transversostriata). Lower: minor (Inner Brass, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, associated with major compared with transversostriata holotype). Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
Guianas.

Etymology
L transversostriata, transversely lined, referring to the transverse carinulae of the major head. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Mayr, G. 1887. Südamerikanische Formiciden. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 37: 511–632.

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