Pheidole centeotl

From Wilson (2003): Mann (in Wheeler 1914c) found numerous colonies of this species nesting under stones on a hillside in oak-pine woodland near Molino Guerrero (an ore mill), on the eastern slope of the mountain range east of Pachuca. A colony collected by Robert J. Hamton near Jalapa, Veracruz, was nesting beneath a stone in pine forest at 2350 m. Winged reproductives were in a nest at 2200 m near Cuernavaca on 26 May 1986 (W. P. MacKay).

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
I have seen series of centeotl from the following central and southeastern states of Mexico: Hidalgo, Michoacán, Morelos, Puebla, and Veracruz, all collected at elevations of 2200–2400 m. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  centeotl. Pheidole (Allopheidole) centeotl Wheeler, W.M. 1914b: 46 (s.w.q.) MEXICO. See also: Wilson, 2003: 568.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the pilifera group with 3 worker castes (major, supermajor, minor) similar to Pheidole macclendoni of Arizona and Texas, differing as follows.

Major: propodeal spines much shorter; humerus in dorsal-oblique view less prominent; postpetiolar node seen from above subangulate and diamond-shaped; light reddish brown, not yellow.

Supermajor: occipital cleft deeper, its sides rising more steeply to the occipital lobes on either side.

Minor: propodeal spine well-developed; carinulae present on frontal lobes, and those mesad to the eye extend posteriorly beyond the eye by as much as an Eye Length.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.10, HL 1.20, SL 0.62, EL 0.14, PW 0.56. Paralectotype supermajor: HW 1.84, HL 2.06, SL 0.80, EL 0.22, PW 0.80. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.66, SL 0.56, EL 0.12, PW 0.38.

COLOR Major: body light to medium reddish brown, appendages light reddish brown.

Supermajor: light to medium reddish brown.

Minor: concolorous light reddish brown.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major (body and full head), next to paralectotype, supermajor (partial head only). Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
MEXICO: Molino Guerrero (Guerrero Mill), Hidalgo, 2600–2900 m, col. William M. Mann. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
Unknown

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
 * Fernandes, P.R. XXXX. Los hormigas del suelo en Mexico: Diversidad, distribucion e importancia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
 * Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press