Pheidole valens

The type colony was found in a soil nest whose entrance hole was surrounded by pebbles, in a cerrado-like secondary thicket. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Nomenclature

 *  valens. Pheidole valens Wilson, 2003: 359, figs. (s.w.) BRAZIL.

Description
A member of the fallax group with similarities to Pheidole fallax, Pheidole jelskii, Pheidole obscurithorax, Pheidole puttemansi and Pheidole roushae, distinguished as follows.

Major: head quadrate; almost all of anterior two-thirds of dorsal surface of head (except frontal triangle, antennal fossae, and clypeus) rugoreticulate, and posterior third foveolate; anterior half of pronotal dorsum rugoreticulate; antennal scape near base slightly broader than near tip; pronotum weakly bilobous in dorsal-oblique view; metanotum convex in side view; petiole thick in side view, but the apex of its node tapering almost to a point; median strip of entire first gastral tergite shagreened and opaque.

Minor: all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque; anterior half of median strip shagreened.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.70, HL 1.80, SL 1.02, EL 0.26, PW 0.92. Paratype minor: HW 0.66, HL 0.84, SL 1.04, EL 0.18, PW 0.54.

COLOR Major: head, mesosoma, and petiole medium reddish brown; postpetiole and gaster dark reddish brown.

Minor: body medium reddish brown except for gaster, which is dark reddish brown; appendages light reddish brown.



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

Type Material
BRAZIL: Mpio. Livramento, Mato Grosso, James C. Trager.

Etymology
L valens, strong, vigorous.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fichaux M., B. Bechade, J. Donald, A. Weyna, J. H. C. Delabie, J. Murienne, C. Baraloto, and J. Orivel. 2019. Habitats shape taxonomic and functional composition of Neotropical ant assemblages. Oecologia 189(2): 501-513.