Pheidole kusnezovi

Kusnezov’s (1952a) field and laboratory research showed that Pheidole inquilina is a workerless inquiline of Pheidole obscurior (=Pheidole susannae). He correctly pointed out that the queen represents an early stage of the kind of degenerative anatomy that characterizes ant inquilines in general. (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: Argentina.

Castes
A workerless social parasite.

Nomenclature

 * symbiotica. Eriopheidole symbiotica Kusnezov, 1952a: 16, figs. 1-9 (q.m.) ARGENTINA. [Junior secondary homonym of Pheidole symbiotica Wasmann, above.] Combination in Pheidole: Wilson, 1984: 328. Replacement name: Pheidole kusnezovi Wilson, 2003: 311.
 *  kusnezovi. Pheidole kusnezovi Wilson, 2003: 311. Replacement name for Eriopheidole symbiotica Kusnezov, 1952a: 16. [Junior secondary homonym of Pheidole symbiotica Wasmann, 1909: 693 (footnote).]

Description
From Wilson (2003): A permanent, workerless social parasite of Pheidole obscurior (=Pheidole susannae). The queen is very small in size, with slender head and large eyes, mostly shiny body surface, subangular petiole in side view, and hexagonal postpetiolar node seen from above. Overall, it has not evolved any of the extreme parasitic traits of other socially parasitic Pheidole such as Pheidole acutidens, Pheidole argentina, and Pheidole elecebra.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Queen: HW 0.64, HL 0.64, SL 0.78, EL 0.24, PW (not measured).

COLOR Queen: appendages, anterior half of the head, and most of the sides of the mesosoma yellow; rest of head and body a contrasting light brown.



'''Figure. Syntype, queen. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
and

Type Locality Information
ARGENTINA: Parque General San Martin, Entre Rios, col. N. Kusnezov.

Etymology
Named after N. Kusnezov, Argentinean entomologist who discovered the species.

Additional References
Kusnezov, N. 1952d (“1951”). El género Pheidole en la Argentina (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Acta Zool. Lilloana 12: 5–88.

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