Pheidole termitobia

Forel records the types, transmitted to him by Erich Wasmann, as discovered “chez les termites,” with no further details. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Nomenclature

 *  termitobia. Pheidole termitobia Forel, 1901g: 390 (s.w.q.) BRAZIL. See also: Wilson, 2003: 522.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the flavens group, similar to Pheidole ademonia, Pheidole cardiella, Pheidole infernalis, Pheidole peltastes and Pheidole sospes, and distinguished from them and other species of the group as follows.

Major: reddish yellow; occiput and sides of head rugoreticulate; vertex, frontal lobes, and genae carinulate; antennal scrobes present; all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque; humeri rugoreticulate, and anterior margin of pronotum transversely carinulate; propodeal spines strongly developed; postpetiole from above oval.

Minor: reddish yellow; all of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque; carinulae of head reach eye level; humeri subangulate.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.84, HL 0.84, SL 0.52, EL 0.10, PW 0.42. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.42, HL 0.46, SL 0.42, EL 0.06, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major and minor: light reddish yellow, appendages clear yellow.



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

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
BRAZIL: São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L Gr termitobia, living with termites. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Forel, A. 1901. Fourmis termitophages, Lestobiose, Atta tardigrada, sous-genres d’Euponera. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 45: 389–398.

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