Pheidole deceptrix

Pheidole deceptrix is a montane specialist, ocurring in cloud forest habitats from 1300–2750m elevation. Nests are in the soil and under stones. Foragers, including major workers, come to baits on the forest floor, and workers are collected in Berlese and Winkler samples. Alate queens were collected 11 July 2007, at Cerro Huitepec in Chiapas. Males remain unknown. (Longino 2009)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

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

Nomenclature

 *  deceptrix. Pheidole deceptrix Forel, 1899c: 66, pl. 3, fig. 20 (s.) GUATEMALA. Senior synonym of chiapasana, variceps: Longino, 2009: 25. See also: Wilson, 2003: 679.
 * chiapasana. Pheidole chiapasana Wilson, 2003: 273, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of deceptrix: Longino, 2009: 25.
 * variceps. Pheidole variceps Wilson, 2003: 775, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of deceptrix: Longino, 2009: 25.

Longino (2009) - The type major worker of P. deceptrix has the median and rear portion of the face with shallow foveolate sculpture overlain with sparse rugulae, and the postpetiole in dorsal view is trapezoidal. The associated minor worker has the face and mesosoma uniformly and densely foveolate. The type major worker of P. variceps has similar sculpture on the face but it fades posteriorly, leaving the vertex lobes smooth and shiny. The postpetiole in dorsal view is more transverse, with more acutely angulate sides. The minor worker has the face and mesosoma with a mix of smooth shiny areas and patches of faint foveolate sculpture. However, multiple collections from additional localities show continuous variation between these two forms. The variation is geographically structured, such that multiple collections from the same site show little variation compared to differences among sites. I interpret this as one polytypic species with slightly different forms in different mountain ranges.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A medium-sized, brown species of uncertain affinities, distinguished as follows.

Major: head somewhat elongate, with a deep occipital cleft and subangulate comers, as illustrated, and dorsal surface longitudinally carinulate and foveolate except for occipital lobes, frontal triangle, and mid-clypeus; rugoreticulum extends from eye to antennal fossa on each side of head; all of mesosoma and sides of waist foveolate and opaque; propodeal spines thin; postpetiole seen from above elliptical and with angulate sides.

Minor: occiput not narrowed, yet possesses nuchal collar; all of head except frontal triangle and mid-clypeus and all of mesosoma foveolate and opaque; humeri in dorsal-oblique view subangulate; propodeal spines thin.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.46, HL 1.62, SL 0.80, EL 0.20, PW 0.66. Minor in type series: HW 0.64, HL 0.74, SL 0.76, EL 0.12, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium brown except for funiculus, which is yellowish brown.

Minor: body medium brown, appendages light to yellowish brown.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: minor, not described by Forel but attached to lectotype major and evidently part of the type series. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
Longino (2009):

Lectotype major worker (here designated, as labeled by Wilson 2003) and associated paralectotype minor worker: Guatemala, Baja Verapaz, Purulha (Champion) (examined).

Pheidole chiapasana Holotype major worker and associated paratype minor worker: Mexico, Chiapas, 5km E Rayón, 17°13'N 92°58'W, 1700m, 23 Dec 1991 (P. S. Ward #11581-12) (examined).

Pheidole variceps Holotype major worker and associated paratype minor worker: Mexico, Chiapas, 6km SE San Cristobal de las Casas, 10 Aug 1978 (J. Rawlins) (examined).

Etymology
L deceptrix, deceiver, allusion unknown. (Wilson 2003)