Pheidole virago

Extremely rare. Wheeler’s type series were from nests in open sandy soil, marked by 1-cm-wide entrances surrounded by craters of sandy soil 8 to 12 cm across. Ingham (1959, 1963; unpublished theses quoted by Allred 1982), reported virago at 900 m in southern Utah, in desert and semidesert, variously with creosote bush, bur sage, rabbitbrush, cholla, marigold, and Russian thistle, forming crater nests in open soil. However, the Utah records are doubtful and need field confirmation. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
The majors of this species are large, with a head length (excluding mandibles) at least 2 mm in length, usually more. The pronotum of the major is covered with transverse striae, the posterior half of the head is without sculpture. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Texas to Arizona. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States.

Biology
The nests of this species are in the soil, with a small mound (7 - 13 cms diameter). The nest entrance is large (1.2 cms), suggesting they are preyed upon by army ants (Neivamyrmex). Colonies are small and contain only a few workers. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Worker
Major

Nomenclature

 *  virago. Pheidole virago Wheeler, W.M. 1915b: 401 (s.w.) U.S.A. See also: Wilson, 2003: 604.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A very large, reddish brown (major) to reddish yellow (minor) member of the pilifera group.

Major: anterior third of head completely carinulate, with some carinulae that originate on the frontal lobes almost reaching the occiput; pronotum and mesonotal convexity completely covered by transverse carinulae; in dorsal-oblique view, promesonotal profile evenly trilobous; a small metanotal convexity present; the propodeal spines large and perpendicular to the basal propodeal face; postpetiole seen from above very broad and conulate.

Minor: dorsal surface of head and sides of mesosoma longitudinally carinulate; pronotal dorsum covered by a mix of longitudinal carinulae and rugulae; propodeal spines perpendicular to basal propodeal face; dorsal margin of petiolar node strongly convex; postpetiolar node depressed.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 2.02, HL 2.20, SL 0.84, EL 0.20, PW 0.90. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.66, SL 0.64, EL 0.12, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major: concolorous light reddish brown.

Minor: reddish yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
ARIZONA: Santa Cruz River, Tucson, col. W. M. Wheeler.. - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
L virago, female warrior. (Wilson 2003)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Allred D. M. 1982. Ants of Utah. The Great Basin Naturalist 42: 415-511.
 * Allred, D.M. 1982. The ants of Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 42:415-511.
 * Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1985. A checklist of Texas ants. Prairie Naturalist 17:49-64.
 * Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press