Pheidole argentina

A permanent workerless parasite of Pheidole nitidula. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
The original line drawing from Bruch (1932):



See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina.

Castes
This species is a workerless parasite.

Nomenclature

 *  argentina. Gallardomyrma argentina Bruch, 1932: 273, figs. 1-8 (q.) ARGENTINA. Combination in Pheidole: Wilson, 1984: 327. See also: Wilson, 2003: 267.

Description
From Wilson (2003): An extreme workerless parasite of Pheidole nitidula. The queen possesses a trait unique within the ants: the antenna is 10-segmented, with a well-developed, 1-segmented club. Also, the body is somewhat pupiform and the mandibles are reduced to toothless straps.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Syntype queen: according to Bruch (1932), the total length of a queen in the type series is 1.7 mm.

COLOR Head, especially vertex, brownish yellow; mesosoma, waist, and gaster (except the apex) grayish brown.



'''Figure. Syntype, queen. (Adapted from Bruch 1932.) Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
ARGENTINA: Alta Gracia (La Granja), Sierra de Córdoba, col. Carlos Bruch. - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
Named after the country of origin. (Wilson 2003)