Pheidole incisa

A series collected by W. L. and D. E. Brown between Mosquera and La Mesa, Cundinamarca, Colombia, were above 2000 m, in low montane forest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known only from Colombia, evidently montane. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia.

Nomenclature

 *  incisa. Pheidole incisa Mayr, 1870a: 401 (s.w.) COLOMBIA. See also: Wilson, 2003: 711.

Description
DIAGNOSIS From Wilson (2003): Similar in various respects but not close to Pheidole bellatrix, Pheidole bison, Pheidole napoensis, Pheidole pullula, and members of the gertrudae group.

Major: in side view the mesonotum descends in a vertical face to the metanotum, which may bear a very small convexity; head anterior to posterior margin of eye partly carinulate and rest of body smooth and shiny; humerus in dorsal-oblique view rounded or subangulate; propodeal spines equilaterally triangular.

Minor: head and body almost completely smooth and shiny; promesonotal profile almost perfectly semicircular; propodeal spines reduced to denticles; postpetiolar node from side low, and from above oval.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.52, HL 1.56, SL 0.90, EL 0.22, PW 0.70. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.66, HL 0.74, SL 0.78, EL 0.12, PW 0.44.

COLOR Major and minor: concolorous brownish yellow.



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

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
New Grenada,” Greater Colombia. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L incisa, cut into, probably alluding to the sharp descent of the mesonotum. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Mayr, G. 1870. Formicidae novogranadenses. Sitzungsber. Kais. Akad. Wiss. Wien Math.-Naturwiss. Cl. Abt. I 61: 370–417.

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