Pheidole dolon

Found in lowland tropical rainforest to 450 m. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from the type locality, as well as widespread records in Bolivia, Colombia, and Amazonian Brazil. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Peru.

Nomenclature

 *  dolon. Pheidole dolon Wilson, 2003: 254, figs. (s.w.) PERU.

Description
A member of the distorta group, known only from the minor caste, closest (in the minor caste at least) to Pheidole bufo, differing in the minor by the extremely long propodeal spines, which are longer than the basal face of the propodeum anterior to them; sparser pilosity; relatively low promesonotal dorsal-oblique profile; foveolate and opaque waist; shagreened anterior half of the first gastral tergite; and distinctive color.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype minor: HW 0.82, HL 0.82, SL 0.80, EL 0.16, PW 0.54.

COLOR Minor: body dark, almost blackish brown; appendages yellow, with central halves of the femora light brown.



'''Figure. Holotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
PERU: Cuzco Amazónico, 15 km northeast of Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, col. Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin.

Etymology
Gr dolon, dagger, stiletto, referring to the propodeal spines of the minor.

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.
 * Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
 * Groc S., J. Orivel, A. Dejean, J. Martin, M. Etienne, B. Corbara, and J. H. C. Delabie. 2009. Baseline study of the leaf-litter ant fauna in a French Guianese forest. Insect Conservation and Diversity 2: 183-193.
 * Pires de Prado L., R. M. Feitosa, S. Pinzon Triana, J. A. Munoz Gutierrez, G. X. Rousseau, R. Alves Silva, G. M. Siqueira, C. L. Caldas dos Santos, F. Veras Silva, T. Sanches Ranzani da Silva, A. Casadei-Ferreira, R. Rosa da Silva, and J. Andrade-Silva. 2019. An overview of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the state of Maranhao, Brazil. Pap. Avulsos Zool. 59: e20195938.