Pheidole caracalla

This species is only known from a few collections. Winged queens were found in March at the type locality and in April in Yasuni National Park (S. O’Donnell). (Wilson 2003)

Identification
Similar in various traits to Pheidole breviscapa (=Pheidole perpusilla), Pheidole bruchella, Pheidole micon, Pheidole nana, Pheidole subreticulata and Pheidole tennantae, differing as follows. Major: reddish brown; pilosity thick and long, especially on mesosoma, waist, and gaster, where many hairs are 1.5X eye Length or longer; pronotum weakly bilobate in dorsal-oblique view; propodeal spines robust and moderately long; petiolar node in side view thick, its apex broad and rounded; postpetiole from above bell-shaped; a narrow band of rugoreticulum extends from eye to antennal fossa on each side; most of head carinulate, except for occiput, frontal triangle, and midclypeus; sides of propodeum carinulate. Minor: reddish yellow; pilosity dense and long; pronotum in dorsal-oblique view subangulate; petiolar node in side view thick, with broadly rounded apex; occiput slightly narrowed, with straight posterior margin.

COLOR Major: light reddish brown except for gaster, which is dark brown. Minor: medium reddish yellow except for gaster, which is dark brown. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution
Known only from the type locality and from Yasuni National Park, Puerto Tipugini, Ecuador (S. O’Donnell). (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Peru.

Description
Similar in various traits to Pheidole breviscapa (=Pheidole perpusilla), Pheidole bruchella, Pheidole micon, Pheidole nana, Pheidole subreticulata and Pheidole tennantae, differing as follows. Major: reddish brown; pilosity thick and long, especially on mesosoma, waist, and gaster, where many hairs are 1.5X eye Length or longer; pronotum weakly bilobate in dorsal-oblique view; propodeal spines robust and moderately long; petiolar node in side view thick, its apex broad and rounded; postpetiole from above bell-shaped; a narrow band of rugoreticulum extends from eye to antennal fossa on each side; most of head carinulate, except for occiput, frontal triangle, and midclypeus; sides of propodeum carinulate. Minor: reddish yellow; pilosity dense and long; pronotum in dorsal-oblique view subangulate; petiolar node in side view thick, with broadly rounded apex; occiput slightly narrowed, with straight posterior margin.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.90, HL 0.90, SL 0.44, EL 0.12, PW 0.46. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.54, SL 0.46, EL 0.08, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major: light reddish brown except for gaster, which is dark brown. Minor: medium reddish yellow except for gaster, which is dark brown.



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

Type Locality Information
PERU: Tingo Maria, Huánaco (W. L. Brown and W. Sherbrooke).

Etymology
L caracalla, great coat with hood, referring to the dense, long pilosity.