Pheidole striaticeps

Longino (1997) reports striaticeps, which may include both true striaticeps and Pheidole chloe, 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. Longino (1997). does not distinguish this species from Pheidole chloe, although the two are different. He reports Pheidole striaticeps, which may include both species, from 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.

Nomenclature

 *  striaticeps. Pheidole striaticeps Mayr, 1870b: 987 (s.w.) MEXICO. See also: Wilson, 2003: 512.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the flavens group close to Pheidole chloe, less so to Pheidole cardiella, Pheidole chloe, 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.



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

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
MEXICO.

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

Additional References
Mayr, G. 1870b. Neue Formiciden. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 20: 939–996.

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