Pheidole deceptrix

Nothing is known about the biology of deceptrix.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Guatemala.

Nomenclature

 *  deceptrix. Pheidole deceptrix Forel, 1899c: 66, pl. 3, fig. 20 (s.) GUATEMALA. Senior synonym of chiapasana, variceps: Longino, 2009: 25. See also: Wilson, 2003: 679.
 * chiapasana. Pheidole chiapasana Wilson, 2003: 273, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of deceptrix: Longino, 2009: 25.
 * variceps. Pheidole variceps Wilson, 2003: 775, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO. Junior synonym of deceptrix: Longino, 2009: 25.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A medium-sized, brown species of uncertain affinities, distinguished as follows.

Major: head somewhat elongate, with a deep occipital cleft and subangulate comers, as illustrated, and dorsal surface longitudinally carinulate and foveolate except for occipital lobes, frontal triangle, and mid-clypeus; rugoreticulum extends from eye to antennal fossa on each side of head; all of mesosoma and sides of waist foveolate and opaque; propodeal spines thin; postpetiole seen from above elliptical and with angulate sides.

Minor: occiput not narrowed, yet possesses nuchal collar; all of head except frontal triangle and mid-clypeus and all of mesosoma foveolate and opaque; humeri in dorsal-oblique view subangulate; propodeal spines thin.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.46, HL 1.62, SL 0.80, EL 0.20, PW 0.66. Minor in type series: HW 0.64, HL 0.74, SL 0.76, EL 0.12, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium brown except for funiculus, which is yellowish brown.

Minor: body medium brown, appendages light to yellowish brown.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: minor, not described by Forel but attached to lectotype major and evidently part of the type series. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
GUATEMALA: Purulha, Baja Verapaz. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L deceptrix, deceiver, allusion unknown. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Forel, A. 1899. Formicidae. [part]. Biol. Cent.-Am. Hym. 3: 57–80.

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