Pheidole trachyderma

Nothing is known about the biology of trachyderma.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Argentina.

Nomenclature

 *  trachyderma. Pheidole risi subsp. trachyderma Emery, 1906c: 148 (s.w.q.) ARGENTINA. [Misspelled as pachyderma by Santschi, 1912e: 529.] Raised to species: Wilson, 2003: 765.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS Similar in various traits to Pheidole aper, Pheidole bambusarum, Pheidole brevicona, Pheidole dyctiota, Pheidole laeviventris, Pheidole lutzi, Pheidole rugatula, Pheidole senilis, Pheidole sigillata and Pheidole traini, distinguished as follows.

Major: reddish yellow; all of dorsal surface of head (including frontal lobes) rugoreticulate, except for occiput, antennal fossae, frontal triangle, and clypeus; margins of pronotal dorsum rugulose and humeri rugoreticulate, but rest of promesonotal dorsum almost exclusively foveolate; in side view promesonotum descends to metanotal groove in a near-vertical face; postpetiole from above cone-shaped.

Minor: all of head, mesosoma, and petiole foveolate and opaque, carinulae confined to anterior dorsal surface of head, and rugoreticula wholly lacking; occiput broad, lacking nuchal collar.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.18, HL 1.18, SL 0.64, EL 0.14, PW 0.66. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.58, HL 0.62, SL 0.58, EL 0.10, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium reddish yellow.

Minor: concolorous light reddish yellow.



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

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
ARGENTINA: San Pedro, Misiones. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
Gr trachyderma, rough skin, alluding to rugoreticulate sculpturing. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Emery, C. 1906 (“1905”). Studi sulle formiche della fauna neotropica, XXVI. Bull. Soc. Entomol. Ital. 37: 107–194.

Text and images from this publication used by permission of the author.