Pheidole centeotl

From Wilson (2003): Mann (in Wheeler 1914c) found numerous colonies of this species nesting under stones on a hillside in oak-pine woodland near Molino Guerrero (an ore mill), on the eastern slope of the mountain range east of Pachuca. A colony collected by Robert J. Hamton near Jalapa, Veracruz, was nesting beneath a stone in pine forest at 2350 m. Winged reproductives were in a nest at 2200 m near Cuernavaca on 26 May 1986 (W. P. MacKay).

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
I have seen series of centeotl from the following central and southeastern states of Mexico: Hidalgo, Michoacán, Morelos, Puebla, and Veracruz, all collected at elevations of 2200–2400 m. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  centeotl. Pheidole (Allopheidole) centeotl Wheeler, W.M. 1914b: 46 (s.w.q.) MEXICO. See also: Wilson, 2003: 568.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the pilifera group with 3 worker castes (major, supermajor, minor) similar to Pheidole macclendoni of Arizona and Texas, differing as follows.

Major: propodeal spines much shorter; humerus in dorsal-oblique view less prominent; postpetiolar node seen from above subangulate and diamond-shaped; light reddish brown, not yellow.

Supermajor: occipital cleft deeper, its sides rising more steeply to the occipital lobes on either side.

Minor: propodeal spine well-developed; carinulae present on frontal lobes, and those mesad to the eye extend posteriorly beyond the eye by as much as an Eye Length.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.10, HL 1.20, SL 0.62, EL 0.14, PW 0.56. Paralectotype supermajor: HW 1.84, HL 2.06, SL 0.80, EL 0.22, PW 0.80. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.66, SL 0.56, EL 0.12, PW 0.38.

COLOR Major: body light to medium reddish brown, appendages light reddish brown.

Supermajor: light to medium reddish brown.

Minor: concolorous light reddish brown.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major (body and full head), next to paralectotype, supermajor (partial head only). Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
MEXICO: Molino Guerrero (Guerrero Mill), Hidalgo, 2600–2900 m, col. William M. Mann. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
Unknown

Additional References
Wheeler, W. M. 1914. Ants collected by W. M. Mann in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. J. New York Entomol. Soc. 22: 37–61.

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