Pheidole pinealis

The type colony was found beneath a stone; the nest contained seed caches (Wheeler 1908). In western Texas, Moody and Francke (1982) found three colonies, variously at 1000–1200 m, nesting, respectively, beneath a stone and cow dung and in open soil. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known only from western Texas and a series from Guanajuato, central Mexico. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from the United States.

Nomenclature

 *  pinealis. Pheidole pinealis Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 459, pl. 27, fig. 38 (s.w.) U.S.A. See also: Wilson, 2003: 591.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the “bicarinata complex” of the larger pilifera group, comprising Pheidole agricola, Pheidole aurea, Pheidole barbata, Pheidole bicarinata, Pheidole centeotl, Pheidole cerebrosior, Pheidole ceres,Pheidole defecta, Pheidole gilvescens, Pheidole macclendoni, Pheidole macrops, Pheidole marcidula, Pheidole paiute, Pheidole pinealis, Pheidole xerophila, Pheidole yaqui and Pheidole yucatana, which complex is characterized by the large to very large, forward-set eyes, especially in the minor; and in the major, the occipital lobes lacking any sculpturing (except in aurea); the posterior half of the head capsule smooth and shiny; and the postpetiole seen from above oval, elliptical, or laterally angulate (cornulate in cerebrosior).

P. pinealis differs within the complex by the following combination of traits.

Major: dark spot on vertex; humerus in dorsal-oblique view right-angulate; petiole in side view tapers to a point, and from behind is deeply concave; postpetiolar lateral extension from above horn-shaped; erect pilosity of pronotum long and dense.

Minor: humerus in dorsal-oblique view feebly subangulate; postpetiole from above roughly diamond-shaped.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.24, SL 0.52, EL 0.14, PW 0.54. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.48, HL 0.54, SL 0.46, EL 0.10, PW 0.30.

COLOR Major: head and mesosoma light brown with a slightly reddish tinge; center of head dorsum with contrasting circular dark brown spot, as illustrated; waist and gaster dark brown; appendages brownish yellow.

Minor: concolorous medium brown (brownish yellow, possibly faded, in paralectotype); appendages yellowish brown.



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

Type Material
and - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
TEXAS: Limpio Canyon, Ft. Davis, Davis Mts., Jeff Davis Co., southwestern Texas, col. W. M. Wheeler.

Etymology
Unknown

Additional References
Moody, J. V., Francke, O. F. 1982. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of western Texas, Part 1: Subfamily Myrmicinae. Grad. Stud. Tex. Tech Univ. 27: 1–80.

Wheeler, W. M. 1908. The ants of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. (Part I.). Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 24: 399–485.

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