Pheidole hoplitica

Lloyd Davis collected this species from a cemetery in Salineno, TX. The nest was in bare sandy clay soil in full sun. There was a pile of insect parts a few cm from the nest entrance.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  hoplitica. Pheidole hoplitica Wilson, 2003: 579, figs. (s.w.) U.S.A.

Description
DIAGNOSIS A member of the “pilifera complex” of the larger pilifera group, comprising Pheidole calens, Pheidole californica, Pheidole carrolli, Pheidole cavigenis, Pheidole clementensis, Pheidole creightoni, Pheidole hoplitica, Pheidole littoralis, Pheidole micula, Pheidole pilifera, Pheidole rugulosa, Pheidole senex, Pheidole soritis, Pheidole tepicana and Pheidole torosa, which complex is characterized by the following traits. Major: dorsal head surface extensively sculptured; occipital lobes horizontally rugulose (or, in carrolli smooth, in littoralis foveate, and in micula and soritis carinulate); postpetiole from above diamond-shaped, trapezoidal, or spinose. Minor: eye medium-sized to large.

P. hoplitica is distinguished within the complex, including cavigenis, which it most resembles, by the following combination of traits.

Major: posterior dorsal profile of head markedly concave; occiput partly rugoreticulate; carinulae that originate from around frontal triangle turn outward near the center of the head toward the occipital corners; promesonotum strongly convex, almost semicircular in profile; postpetiolar node in side view wide and broadly rounded, not narrow and abruptly rounded.

Minor: head and sides of pronotum smooth and shining, not densely sculptured and opaque; some of the hairs of the promesonotal dorsal surface clavate.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.24, HL 1.52, SL 0.60, EL 0.22, PW 0.70. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.56, SL 0.46, EL 0.14, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major: light reddish brown.

Minor: brownish yellow.



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

Type Material
TEXAS: Starr County, col. W. Cloyd.

Etymology
Gr hoplitica, referring to the hoplite, a heavily armed soldier of ancient Greece.