Pheidole zelata

The majors and minors in the type series were collected as foragers on the ground of rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Bolivia.

Description
A member of the diligens group similar in various characters to Pheidole coffeicola, Pheidole gagates, Pheidole hoelldobleri, Pheidole mooreorum, Pheidole peregrina, Pheidole spilota and Pheidole venatrix, distinguished as follows.

Major: reddish yellow; propodeal spine long, narrow, needle-like; rugoreticulum present between eye and antennal fossa; pronotal dorsum, foveolate, its anterior fourth transversely carinulate; anterior face of propodeum seen in dorsal-oblique view drops precipitously to metanotum; a small convexity present in middle of pronotal dorsum.

Minor: propodeal spine thin, needle-like; space between eye and antennal fossa both foveolate and carinulate; rest of head smooth; all of mesosoma foveolate; pilosity on dorsal mesosomal border consists of evenly spaced pairs of setae.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.22, HL 1.22, SL 0.92, EL 0.22, PW 0.60. Paratype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.68, SL 0.90, EL 0.18, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: light reddish yellow except for head anterior to eyes and appendages, which are plain yellow.

Minor: head and body light brown except head anterior to eyes and gaster, which are brownish yellow; antennae brownish yellow; rest of appendages plain yellow.



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

Type Locality Information
BOLIVIA: 35 km south-southeast of Flor de Oro, Santa Cruz, 13°50'S 60°52'W, 450 m (Philip S. Ward).

Etymology
L zelata, ardent, enthusiastic.