Pheidole gagates

At Cuzco Amazónico, Peru, Cover and Tobin found colonies nesting in small rotten tree branches lying in leaf litter on the floor of rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from the type locality and from Yasuni National Park, Puerto Tipugini, Ecuador. (Wilson 2003)

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

Nomenclature

 *  gagates. Pheidole gagates Wilson, 2003: 192, figs. (s.w.) PERU.

Description
Distinguished within the diligens group by the following set of traits.

Major: body concolorous blackish brown; pilosity extremely sparse, and completely absent from the mesosoma and waist; mesosomal convexity low, especially in dorsal-oblique view; postpetiolar node bell-shaped; patches of rugoreticulum present just mesad to the eyes; carinulae limited to lateral margins of the frontal lobes and sides of head anterior to the posterior margins of the eyes.

Minor: body concolorous blackish brown; occiput narrow, with nuchal collar; sculpturing very sparse, limited to circular carinae around the antennal fossae and patches of foveolation as illustrated.

See also Pheidole anima, Pheidole diligens, Pheidole mooreorum, Pheidole nubila, Pheidole piceonigra, Pheidole radoszkowskii, Pheidole stigma, Pheidole triconstricta, Pheidole venatrix and Pheidole zelata.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 0.96, SL 0.62, EL 0.16, PW 0.50. Paratype minor: HW 0.46, HL 0.56, SL 0.68, EL 0.12, PW 0.32.

COLOR See description above in Diagnosis.



'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, 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 gagates, jet (black), referring to the color of the workers.