Pheidole allarmata

Two colonies collected by Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin at Cuzco Amazonica, Peru (Cover, collection notes) were in terra firme rainforest, nesting in rotten sticks on the forest floor. The colonies were small, with fewer than 100 workers and a single queen; one of the nests contained a seed cache. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
An Amazonian species recorded from scattered localities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Suriname. (Wilson 2003)

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

Worker
Minor

Images from AntWeb
Major

Nomenclature

 *  allarmata. Pheidole allarmata Wilson, 2003: 649, figs. (s.w.) BRAZIL.

Description
DIAGNOSIS Similar to Pheidole hasticeps, Pheidole subarmata, Pheidole synarmata and Pheidole triplex (see also the somewhat less similar Pheidole rhytifera), differing from these and other Pheidole by the following combination of traits.

Major: in side view the frontal lobe is elongated to form a forward-projecting, thin, spine-like lobe; humerus strongly developed as protuberant lobes; postpetiolar node spinose; head quadrate; rear half of head and almost all of body smooth and shiny.

Minor: occiput narrowed but lacking a nuchal collar; propodeal spine long, thin, and erect; head and body almost entirely smooth and shiny.

This is probably the series noted by W. L. Brown (1981: 526) as representing a species distinct from subarmata.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.26, HL 1.28, SL 0.60, EL 0.12, PW 0.74. Paratype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.56, SL 0.60, EL 0.06, PW 0.36.

COLOR Major: head reddish brown, gradually deepening from light reddish brown at occiput to dark reddish brown on anterior half of head capsule and on mandibles; mesosoma medium reddish brown; waist, gaster, antennae, and legs light reddish brown.

Minor: concolorous yellow to dark brown.



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

Type Material
BRAZIL: Pirelli Plantation (Iriboca), near Belem, Para, col. P. F. Darlington.

Etymology
Gr, L allarmata, the "other one" bearing arms, referring to the species' similarity to subarmata and synarmata.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * 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. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, F. Petitclerc, B. Corbara, M. Leponce, R. Cereghino, and A. Dejean. 2017. Litter-dwelling ants as bioindicators to gauge the sustainability of small arboreal monocultures embedded in the Amazonian rainforest. Ecological Indicators 82: 43-49.
 * Groc S., J. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, M. Leponce, J. Orivel, R. Silvestre, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos, and A. Dejean. 2013. Leaf-litter ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a pristine Guianese rainforest: stable functional structure versus high species turnover. Myrmecological News 19: 43-51.
 * LaPolla, J.S. and S.P. Cover. 2005. New species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Guyana, with a list of species known from the country. Tranactions of the American Entomological Society 131(3-4):365-374
 * Lapolla, J. S., and S. P. Cover. "New species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) from Guyana, with a list of species known from the country." Transactions of the American Entomological Society 131, no. 3-4 (2005): 365-374.
 * Lapolla, J.S., T. Suman, J. Soso-Calvo and T.R. Schultz. 2006. Leaf litter ant diversity in Guyana. Biodiversity and Conservation 16:491510
 * 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.