Pheidole diligens

Two series were taken by Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin at Cuzco Amazónico, Peru, both in terra firme rainforest; one was in leaf litter, and another in soil beneath a small palm log. A series of the closely similar Pheidole radoszkowskii was collected at the same locality, but true to the general preference of that species for disturbed habitats, the colony was in seasonally flooded forest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Pará, Mato Grosso, Goiás, and São Paulo states, Brazil; and Amazonian Peru (Cuzco Amazónico, Madre de Dios). (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Brazil.

Nomenclature

 *  diligens. Atta diligens Smith, F. 1858b: 168 (s.w.) BRAZIL. Combination in Pheidole: Mayr, 1886c: 360. See also: Wilson, 2003: 188.

Description
From Wilson (2003): A member of the diligens group distinguished from the very similar Pheidole inversa, Pheidole pugnax and Pheidole radoszkowskii, and other diligens group members by the following combination of traits.

Major: yellow; usually (or always) with two teeth on the hypostoma; sculpturing other than foveolation confined to the anterior half of the head capsule and consisting solely of carinulae (no rugoreticulation); all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque; only a narrow anterior strip of first gastral tergite foveolate and opaque, rest of gaster smooth and shiny; pilosity extremely sparse overall, and absent on the mesosoma; humerus cornulate in dorsal-oblique view; promesonotal profile with 2 (not 3) convexities in dorsal-oblique view.

Minor: occiput broad, lacking nuchal collar; head, mesosoma, and waist entirely foveolate and opaque; anterior half of first gastral tergite foveolate and opaque, with remainder of gaster smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.10, SL 0.76, EL 0.22, PW 0.52. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.64, SL 0.74, EL 0.14, PW 0.38.

COLOR Major and minor (types): concolorous medium yellow. Fresh material from Brazil is light reddish yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major (the rear view of the petiolar node is drawn from a major from Paraopeba, Minas Gerais). Lower: paralectotype, minor (the dorsal-oblique view of the mesosoma is drawn from a minor from Goiás state, and the complete antenna is drawn from a minor from “Mt. Transpantaneira,” Brazil). Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
BRAZIL: Vila Nova, “Amazonas” (Vila Nova is now in Pará state). (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L diligens, industrious. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Smith, F. 1858a. Catalogue of hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, Part VI: Formicidae. London: British Museum, 216 pp.

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