Pheidole bufo

James Trager found the workers of the type colony feeding on a crushed scarab larva.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
In addition to the type colony from Brazil, the species has been found in Colombia (near Leticia) and Ecuador (Yasuni National Park, near Puerto Tiputini). (Wilson 2003)

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

Worker
Minor

Images from AntWeb
Major

Nomenclature

 *  bufo. Pheidole bufo Wilson, 2003: 251, figs. (s.w.) BRAZIL.

Description
A very distinct member of the distorta group, recognizable by the following traits.

Major: central third of dorsal head surface in side view deeply concave; all of dorsal surface of head except clypeus and frontal triangle, and all of pronotal dorsum, strongly rugoreticulate; hypostoma bidentate; sides of mesosoma and dorsum of postpetiolar node carinulate; anterior third of first gastral tergite finely striate, remainder foveolate and opaque; humerus right-angulate and posteriorly notched in dorsal-oblique view; propodeal spine very large, nearly 2X as long as the basal face of the propodeum anterior to it.

Minor: humerus surmounted by a blunt spine in dorsal-oblique view; propodeal spines nearly as long as the basal propodeal space; mesosoma almost completely covered by longitudinal carinulae.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.64, HL 1.92, SL 0.84, EL 0.22, PW 0.78. Paratype minor: HW 0.84, HL 0.82, SL 0.74, EL 0.18, PW 0.54.

COLOR Major and minor: body dark brown, appendages light to medium brown.



'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
BRAZIL: trail to waterfall, Véu de Noira, Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, col. James C. Trager.

Etymology
L bufo, toad.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * 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.
 * Santos, J.C., J.H.C Delabie and G.W. Fernandes. 2008. Uma avaliação após 15 anos do efeito do fogo sobre a comunidade de formiga em uma área de floresta amazônica. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 52(1): 82-87.