Pheidole optiva

Wheeler (1901h) took the type series, which he transmitted to Forel, from large colonies nesting beneath tree-shaded stones in a ravine at Cuernavaca. Both the majors and minors were “remarkably slow” in their movements. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  optiva. Pheidole optiva Forel, 1901c: 132 (s.w.) MEXICO. See also: Wilson, 2003: 333.

Description
From Wilson (2003): A member of the fallax group, sharing some traits with Pheidole sciara but differing from it and other group members as follows.

Major: antennal scapes reaching a little less than midway between eyes and occipital corners; carinulae of dorsal head surface also reaching halfway between eye and occipital corners; dorsal head surface foveolate except for frontal triangle, mid-clypeus, and occipital border, which are smooth and shiny; pronotal dorsum and rest of mesosoma foveolate, lacking carinulae; pronotum in dorsaloblique view a single convexity peaked at humerus; propodeal spines directed posteriorly; postpetiole elliptical from above; pilosity sparse to moderate over body, and on the first gastral tergite consisting substantially of short subrecumbent hairs.

Minor: eyes medium in size, with Eye Length one-fifth Head Width; all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque to feebly shiny; occiput broad and concave in frontal view. MEASUREMENTS (mm) Syntype major: HW 1.12, HL 1.20, SL 0.64, EL 0.14, PW 0.60. Syntype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.70, SL 0.68, EL 0.12, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: body light reddish brown except for gaster, which is medium reddish brown. Minor: body medium reddish yellow except for gaster, which is dark reddish yellow.



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

Type Material
and - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
From Wilson (2003): MEXICO: Cuernavaca, Morelos, col. William M. Wheeler.

Etymology
Unknown.

Additional References
Forel, A. 1901d. 1, Fourmis mexicaines récoltées par M. le professeur W.-M. Wheeler; 2, A propos de la classification des fourmis. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 45: 123–141.

Wheeler, W. M. 1901c. The compound and mixed nests of American ants, Part II: The known cases of social symbiosis among American ants. Am. Nat. 35: 513–539.

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