Pheidole tschinkeli

The nest of the type colony was found in a piece of rotten wood near the Tikal ruins. (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: Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela.

Nomenclature

 *  tschinkeli. Pheidole tschinkeli Wilson, 2003: 242, figs. (s.w.) GUATEMALA.

Description
A member of the diligens group similar to Pheidole anima, Pheidole indistincta, Pheidole plebecula and Pheidole piceonigra, differing markedly as follows.

Major: propodeal spines stout, half as long as the basal propodeal face, and curved posteriorly; antennal scapes just reach the occipital border; mesopleuron and sides of propodeum longitudinally rugulose; postpetiolar node laterally angular; pilosity sparse and long, with some hairs 2X the Eye Length; head bicolorous.

Minor: propodeal spines stout, half as long as the basal propodeal face; mesopleuron longitudinally rugulose; occiput narrowed but lacking nuchal collar.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.00, SL 0.82, EL 0.20, PW 0.54. Paratype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.66, SL 0.80, EL 0.04, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: head and body dark, almost blackish brown except for genae, which are dark yellow; appendages brownish to medium yellow.

Minor: head and body dark, almost blackish brown; appendages brownish to medium brown.



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

Type Material
GUATEMALA: El Peten Tikal National Park, near ruins, col. Walter R. Tschinkel.

Etymology
Named after the collector and distinguished myrmecologist Walter R. Tschinkel.

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
 * Longino J. T. 2013. Ants of Nicargua. Consulted on 18 Jan 2013. https://sites.google.com/site/longinollama/reports/ants-of-nicaragua
 * 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.
 * Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/
 * Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press