Pheidole synarmata

Nothing is known about the biology of synarmata.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  synarmata. Pheidole synarmata Wilson, 2003: 763, figs. (s.w.) GUYANA.

Description
DIAGNOSIS Similar to Pheidole allarmata, Pheidole cramptoni, Pheidole hasticeps, Pheidole subarmata and Pheidole triplex, differing from these and other Pheidole by the following combination of traits.

Major: head elongate; in side view, frontal lobe extending vertically off the dorsal surface of the head as a spine-like projection; promesonotum forming a large, bulbous, smoothly semicircular outline; petiolar spine well-developed and vertical; posterior half of the head capsule and almost all of the body smooth and shiny.

Minor: occiput broad and concave, lacking nuchal collar; promesonotal profile forming a prominent, smooth semicircle; except for the foveolate mesopleuron and lower side of the petiole, the body is completely smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 1.14, SL 0.42, EL 0.12, PW 0.46. Paratype minor: HW 0.46, HL 0.50, SL 0.42, EL 0.06, PW 0.30.

COLOR Major: concolorous clear medium yellow.

Minor: concolorous clear light yellow.



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

Type Material
GUYANA: Kartabo, col. William M. Wheeler.

Etymology
Gr L synarmata, with the armed one, referring to other members of the subarmata complex.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Chacon de Ulloa P., A. M. Osorio-Garica, R. Achury, and C. Bermudez-Rivas. 2012. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) del Bosque seco tropical (Bs-T) de la cuenca alta del rio Cauca, Colombia. Biota Colombiana 13(2): 165-181.
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
 * Groc S., J. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, F. Petitclerc, B. Corbara, M. Leponce, R. Cereghino, and A. Dejean. 2017. Litter-dwelling ants as bioindicators to gauge the sustainability of small arboreal monocultures embedded in the Amazonian rainforest. Ecological Indicators 82: 43-49.
 * Groc S., J. H. C. Delabie, F. Fernandez, M. Leponce, J. Orivel, R. Silvestre, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos, and A. Dejean. 2013. Leaf-litter ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a pristine Guianese rainforest: stable functional structure versus high species turnover. Myrmecological News 19: 43-51.
 * LaPolla, J.S. and S.P. Cover. 2005. New species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Guyana, with a list of species known from the country. Tranactions of the American Entomological Society 131(3-4):365-374
 * Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.
 * Nascimento Santos M., J. H. C. Delabie, and J. M. Queiroz. 2019. Biodiversity conservation in urban parks: a study of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Rio de Janeiro City. Urban Ecosystems https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-019-00872-8
 * Pires de Prado L., R. M. Feitosa, S. Pinzon Triana, J. A. Munoz Gutierrez, G. X. Rousseau, R. Alves Silva, G. M. Siqueira, C. L. Caldas dos Santos, F. Veras Silva, T. Sanches Ranzani da Silva, A. Casadei-Ferreira, R. Rosa da Silva, and J. Andrade-Silva. 2019. An overview of the ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the state of Maranhao, Brazil. Pap. Avulsos Zool. 59: e20195938.
 * Smith M. A., W. Hallwachs, D. H. Janzen. 2014. Diversity and phylogenetic community structure of ants along a Costa Rican elevational gradient. Ecography 37(8): 720-731.