Pheidole agricola

The colony was found in an agricultural field created by clear-cutting and burning. (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: Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  agricola. Pheidole agricola Wilson, 2003: 556, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO.

Description
DIAGNOSIS A distinctive member of the pilifera group recognizable by the following combination of traits.

Major: reddish yellow, medium-sized; with dense, very long, erect to suberect pilosity on the dorsal surface of the body; prominent, broad semicircular notch in anterior clypeal border; relatively long, thin propodeal spines, faintly bilobed pronotal profile in dorsal-oblique view; carinulae confined on head to the anterior third, and elsewhere to the anterior half of the pronotal dorsum; rest of body smooth and shiny. Minor: light brown; pilosity of dorsal surface of body abundant, very long, and erect to suberect; propodeal spines reduced to denticles; body almost completely smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.18, HL 1.38, SL 0.66, EL 0.16, PW 0.54. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.60, SL 0.60, EL 0.12, PW 0.34.

COLOR Major: concolorous reddish yellow. Minor: concolorous light brown.



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

Type Locality Information
MEXICO: 24 km southwest of Cintalpa, Chiapas, 710 m, col. William P. MacKay.

Etymology
L agricola, field-dweller, referring to the collection site of the type series.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
 * Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
 * Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press