Pheidole striaticeps

Pheidole striaticeps is a widespread, moderately abundant species (Longino, 2019). Longino (1997) reports it from mature rainforest, nesting under the bark of rotting stumps and logs. At Cuzco Amazónico, near Puerto Maldonado, Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin found a colony in a gap within mature rainforest, beneath the bark of a rotten but still hard log. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Mexico (almost certainly tropical Mexico), Honduras, Costa Rica, and Amazonian Peru and the Atlantic slope to 500 m and Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. Oriental Region: India.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  striaticeps. Pheidole striaticeps Mayr, 1870b: 987 (s.w.) MEXICO.
 * Status as species: Wilson, 2003: 512.
 * Senior synonym of chloe: Longino, 2019: 60.
 * chloe. Pheidole goeldii subsp. chloe Forel, 1908b: 56 (s.w.) COSTA RICA.
 * Status as species: Wilson, 2003: 399.
 * Junior synonym of striaticeps: Longino, 2019: 60.

Taxonomic Notes
Longino (2019) - AntWeb images of the type and associated paralectotypes of both P. striaticeps and P. chloe clearly reveal their conspecificity.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the flavens group close to Pheidole cardiella, Pheidole goeldii, Pheidole mittermeieri, Pheidole nuculiceps and Pheidole sculptior, distinguished as follows.

Major: antennal scrobes present; entire dorsal surface of head covered by longitudinal carinulae, which curve inwardly toward midline at occiput; humerus prominent and rounded in dorsal-oblique view; mesonotal convexity present, especially in dorsal-oblique view; head wider than long (Head Width/Head Length 1.03); pronotum transversely carinulate.

Minor: carinulae absent from around thorax-propodeal suture.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.02, SL 0.56, EL 0.12, PW 0.50. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.62, SL 0.56, EL 0.08, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: concolorous light reddish brown.

Minor: concolorous light reddish brown.

Pheidole striaticeps

From Wilson (2003): A member of the flavens group close to Pheidole striaticeps of Mexico and Central America (and a possible synonym of it), much less so to the other species listed in the heading, and distinguished as follows.

Major: antennal scrobes present; entire dorsal surface of head, except for frontal triangle, covered by longitudinal carinulae, which do not curve inwardly toward midline at occiput; humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view; mesonotal convexity absent in both side and dorsal-oblique views; head wider than long (HW/HL 1.04); pronotum lacks transverse carinulae.

Minor: longitudinal carinulae stretch from mesopleuron to sides of propodeum.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Syntype major: HW 1.00, HL 0.96, SL 0.56, EL 0.14, PW 0.50.

Syntype minor: PW 0.36 (head missing in syntype available).

COLOR Major: concolorous light reddish brown.

Minor: body brownish yellow (color of head unknown).



'Pheidole striaticeps''. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''



'Pheidole striaticeps''. Upper: syntype, major. Lower: syntype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
Pheidole striaticeps; MEXICO. - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Pheidole striaticeps: COSTA RICA: La Caja, vicinity of San José, 1100 m, col. Paul Biolley. and - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
Pheidole striaticeps: L striaticeps, lined (striate) head. (Wilson 2003)

Pheidole striaticeps: Gr chloe, first green shoots of plants in spring, allusion unknown. (Wilson 2003)