Pheidole oaxacana

This species is only known from type specimens. Nothing is known about its biology.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala, Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  oaxacana. Pheidole oaxacana Wilson, 2003: 476, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO.

Description
DIAGNOSIS Similar in different traits to Pheidole mixteca, Pheidole scabriventris and Pheidole tragica, also from Mexico, differing as follows. Major: a broad rugoreticulum occurs between eye, antennal fossa, and frontal carina on each side of the head; midclypeus partially carinulate, and carinulae travel from the frontal lobes across the vertex but fall short of the occiput; all of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque; anterior half of central strip of first gastral tergite shagreened; occipital cleft broad and deep; propodeal spines robust and backward-directed; postpetiole from above diamond-shaped.

Minor: eye set well forward on head; propodeal spines half as long as the propodeal basal face and backward-directed; pilosity sparse; occiput broad, its margin concave, and lacking nuchal collar. All of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 1.00, SL 0.50, EL 0.14, PW 0.46. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.52, SL 0.42, EL 0.06, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major: body and mandibles medium reddish brown, other appendages dark yellow.

Minor: concolorous light reddish yellow.



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

Type Material
MEXICO: 10 km south of Valle Nacional, Oaxaca, 610 m, col. S. Peck.

Etymology
Named after the state of origin of the type colony.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
 * Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press