Pheidole marcidula

P. marcidula is evidently a rare species. Wheeler (1908) found one colony, nesting beneath a stone at Barton Creek, Texas. In Hudspeth County, Texas, Moody and Francke (1982) found a single colony at 1300 m, nesting in open sandy loam soil. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known only from central and western Texas. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States. Neotropical Region: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  marcidula. Pheidole marcidula Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 457 (s.w.) U.S.A. See also: Wilson, 2003: 584.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the “bicarinata complex” of the larger pilifera group, comprising Pheidole agricola, Pheidole aurea, Pheidole barbata, Pheidole bicarinata (including Pheidole vinelandica), Pheidole centeotl, Pheidole cerebrosior, Pheidole defecta, Pheidole gilvescens, Pheidole macclendoni, Pheidole macrops, Pheidole marcidula, Pheidole paiute, Pheidole pinealis, Pheidole xerophila, Pheidole yaqui and Pheidole yucatana, which complex is characterized by the large to very large, forward-set eyes in both castes; and, in the major, by the occipital lobes lacking any sculpturing (except in aurea); the posterior half of the head capsule almost entirely smooth and shiny; and the postpetiolar node seen from above oval, elliptical, or laterally angular (cornulate in cerebrosior).

P. marcidula is distinguished within the complex by the following combination of traits.

Major: clavate hairs occasional on mesosoma, with other ordinary pilosity sparse; apex of petiolar node in side view pointed; postpetiolar node from above laterally subangulate.

Minor: promesonotal dorsal profile lined with evenly spaced pairs of clavate hairs.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Major (Sierra Blanca, Texas): HW 0.92, HL 1.22, SL 0.56, EL 0.16, PW 0.42.

Syntype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.48, SL 0.42, EL 0.12, PW 0.28.

COLOR Major: overall yellow, with gaster and legs in lighter shade than rest of body.

Minor: concolorous pale yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: major. TEXAS: 5 km south of Sierra Blanca, Hudspeth Co. (O. F. Francke and J. V. Moody). Lower: syntype, minor. TEXAS: Barton Creek, Austin (William M. Wheeler). Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
and - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
Barton Creek, Texas. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L marcidula, little and weak, or wasted, allusion unknown. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References

 * Moody, J. V., Francke, O. F. 1982. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of western Texas, Part 1: Subfamily Myrmicinae. Grad. Stud. Tex. Tech Univ. 27: 1–80.
 * Wheeler, W. M. 1908. The ants of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. (Part I.). Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 24: 399–485.
 * Text and images from this publication used by permission of the author.