Pheidole davidsonae

Nothing is known about the biology of davidsonae.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Peru.

Description
A member of the diligens group similar in various characters to Pheidole coffeicola, Pheidole hoelldobleri, Pheidole mooreorum, Pheidole peregrina, Pheidole zelata, and especially Pheidole gagates, and distinguished as follows.

Major: head tricolorous (see Color below); antennal scapes thick and short, their tips touching the lateral margin of the head well short of half the distance from eye to occipital corner; propodeal spine straight, about one-third as long as the basal propodeal face; pronotum peaks at middle to form subangle; rugoreticulum present between eye and antennal fossa; carinulae on head do not extend beyond eye level more than half the Eye Length; in full-face view, concavity of occipital margin very broad.

Minor: occiput narrowed, with nuchal collar; pronotum smooth except for foveolate anterior rim; postpetiole from above bell-shaped.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.06, SL 0.64, EL 0.20, PW 0.56. Paratype minor: HW 0.48, HL 0.60, SL 0.70, EL 0.14, PW 0.34.

COLOR Major: head tricolorous, with clypeus yellow, head posterior to clypeus light brown, rest of head rich dark reddish brown; mesosoma and waist medium to dark reddish brown; gaster dark brown, tarsi yellow, and other appendages brownish yellow.

Minor: body medium brown; tarsi yellow; other appendages light brown.



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

Type Locality Information
PERU: Cocha Cashu Research Station, Madre de Dios, 400 m, col. Diane W. Davidson.

Etymology
Named after the collector and distinguished insect ecologist Diane W. Davidson.

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