Pheidole gigas

The type colony was collected in cerrado, or tropical savanna. A seed cache was found in the nest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
From Wilson (2003): Known only from the type locality and from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, col J. C. Trager.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Nomenclature

 *  gigas. Pheidole gigas Wilson, 2003: 293, figs. (s.w.) BRAZIL.

Description
A large member of the fallax group most similar to Pheidole obscurithorax of Argentina (and exotic in the southern U. S.), and somewhat less so to the Pheidole fallax, Pheidole jelskii and Pheidole puttemansi, differing as follows.

Major: robust; hypostoma 2-toothed; entire head heavily sculptured, with genae, venter, and broad median strip (including frontal lobes) longitudinally carinulate and most of the remainder, from genae to occiput, rugoreticulate; most of pronotal and propodeal dorsa transversely carinulate; anterior strip of first gastral tergite shagreened; promesonotal convexity in dorsal-oblique view strongly lobose and directed posteriorly; petiolar peduncle very thick, petiolar node low; postpetiole laterally angulate, scape broadened at insertion.

Minor: occiput narrow, with nuchal collar; head and pronotum shiny; propodeal spines reduced to denticles.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 2.00, HL 1.96, SL 1.06, EL 0.24, PW 0.94. Paratype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.80, SL 1.00, EL 0.16, PW 0.46.

COLOR Major: gaster and postpetiole dark reddish brown, rest of body medium reddish brown. Minor: gaster dark reddish brown, rest of body light to medium reddish brown.



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

Type Material
BRAZIL: Mun. Anápolis, km 46 on road to Goiania, Goiás, col. William L. and Doris E. Brown.

Etymology
L gigas, giant.

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.
 * 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.