Pheidole maja

Nothing is known about the biology of maja.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala.

Nomenclature

 *  maja. Pheidole maja Forel, 1886b: xlviii (s.w.q.) GUATEMALA. See also: Wilson, 2003: 322.

Description
From Wilson (2003): A member of the fallax group somewhat similar to Pheidole chiapasana, Pheidole dentata, Pheidole humeridens, Pheidole industa, Pheidole laevivertex, Pheidole madrensis, Pheidole tetroides, distinguished as follows.

Major: very sparse pilosity, with no hairs on full-face profile (types may be degraded); head elliptical in profile, narrowing conspicuously in side view; in dorsal-oblique view, pronotal profile smoothly convex; petiolar node in side view low; postpetiole from above trapezoidal; sides of pronotum sparsely foveolate.

Minor: occipital margin in full-face view convex; carinulae present along lateral margins of frontal lobes.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.22, HL 1.30, SL 0.80, EL 0.22, PW 0.62. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.74, SL 0.82, EL 0.14, PW 0.44.

COLOR Major: concolorous light reddish brown.

Minor: concolorous plain medium brown.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
and  - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
GUATEMALA: Ciudad de Guatemala. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
Possibly Gr maia, good mother, nurse. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Forel, A. 1886b. Espèces nouvelles de fourmis américaines. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 30: xxxviii–xlix.

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