Pheidole paiute

In Nevada, George C. and Jeanette N. Wheeler (1986) encountered paiute at 1040–2100 m in cottonwood groves, a triplex scrubland, pinyon-juniper woodland, and in disturbed habitats, nesting mostly under stones but also in open soil, where colonies built craters about 25 mm across. At Deep Canyon, near Palm Springs, California, the same authors found the species in larrea-palo verde scrub and desert, nesting in the soil; in one nest excavated, they found a cache of Oenothera clavaeformis seeds. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
Very similar to Pheidole bicarinata. See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Deserts of Nevada and southern California. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States.

Biology
Nevada, Wheeler and Wheeler (1986) - These myrmecophiles were found in the nests of Pheidole paiute: Pupae of Orasema sp. (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae; det. B.D. Burks), 9 mi. SSW Beatty (Nye Co.) 3,000 ft. Fulgorid nymphs (Homoptera: Fulgoridae), 23 mi. ENE Reno (Storey Co.) 4,200 ft. Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Batuloides rotundicollis (LeC.) and Araeoschizus sulcicollis Horn (det. T.J. Spilman), both in the same nest, 7 mi. SSE Beatty (Nye Co.), 3,000 ft.; Conibiosoma elongatum (Horn) (det. T.J. Spilman), 6 mi. NE Gerlach (Pershing Co.) 3,900 ft.; 24 mi. ENE Reno (Washoe Co.) 4,200 ft.; 14 mi. SSE Yerington (Lyon Co.) 5,100 ft.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  paiute. Pheidole bicarinata subsp. paiute Gregg, 1959: 17 (s.w.) U.S.A. Subspecies of bicarinata: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1367. Raised to species: Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1973e: 75; Wilson, 2003: 588.

Worker
Major: Length, 4.25 mm.; head length (excluding mandibles), 1.08 mm.; head width, 1.00 mm.; head index, 0.93; thorax length, 0.92 mm.

This ant runs in Creighton's key to ''Ph. bicarinata vinelandica'', and comparison with undoubted specimens of that form confirms the close relationship. It is, however, not identical, and may be distinguished from vinelandica by the following characters: head slightly longer and overall body size a little larger; anterior clypeal margin broadly sinuate (a narrow median emargination in vinelandica and other subspecies of bicarinata is bounded by prominent though rounded lobes); cephalic sculpture more restricted anteriorly, so that in some cases, fully 2/3 of the head, including the frons, vertex, and occiput is smooth and shining; the humeral angles less prominent, and the pronotum with punctures completely absent and virtually no transverse rugules or striae, the surface very shining; basal face of the epinotum punctate, sometimes with one or two weak interspinal striae, but the surface somewhat shining (heavily punctate and opaque in vine-landica); strong rugae running diagonally from the mesoepinotal suture to the bases of the spines and enclosing the punctate epinotal base (absent on vine-landica); color almost identical except that the head is a little lighter yellowish red.

Minor: practically indistinguishable except a little larger in size than vinelandica and with longer epinotal spines.

Wilson (2003): A member of the “bicarinata complex” of the larger pilifera group; for a characterization of the complex, see under bicarinata. P. paiute is distinguished within the complex by the following combination of traits.

Major: propodeal spine in side view equilaterally triangular; humerus with a very low denticle in dorsal-oblique view; postpetiolar node laterally angular; sculpturing of head consists of carinulae confined entirely to the part anterior to the level of the posterior margin of the eyes.

Minor: some of the hairs on the promesonotal dorsum are very long; propodeal spines in side view equilaterally triangular.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Paratype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.14, SL 0.54, EL 0.18, PW 0.46. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.56, SL 0.48, EL 0.12, PW 0.30.

COLOR Major: concolorous dark yellow.

Minor: body brownish yellow, appendages brownish yellow to clear yellow.



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

Type Material
Holotype: Major. Paratypes: 36 majors and 135 minors. The type material was collected by W. S. Creighton at Goldfield, Nevada, on October 17, 1952, elevation 5800 feet, and was obtained from two colonies.

Wilson (2003) - NEVADA: Goldfield, Esmeraldo Co., Mojave Desert, col. William S. Creighton.

Etymology
Named after one of the Amerindian peoples of the southwestern United States. (Wilson 2003)