Pheidole lignicola

This species is only known from type specimens. Nothing is known about its biology.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
This taxon was described from Brazil. It is also found in Paraguay and Argentina.

Nomenclature

 *  lignicola. Pheidole lignicola Mayr, 1887: 586 (s.), 602 (w.) BRAZIL. Senior synonym of levocciput: Wilson, 2003: 444.
 * levocciput. Pheidole lignicola var. levocciput Forel, 1908c: 370 (s.w.m.) PARAGUAY. Junior synonym of lignicola: Wilson, 2003: 444.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS Similar in various traits to Pheidole ceibana, Pheidole dentigula, Pheidole harrisonfordi, Pheidole metallescens, distinguished as follows.

Major: yellowish brown; occiput and space between eye and antennal fossa on each side rugoreticulate; most of rest of dorsal surface of head carinulate; antennal scape relatively long, its tip touching the sides of the head just posterior to the midpoint between the eye and level of the occipital lobe; mesonotal convexity well defined both anteriorly and posteriorly; humerus, in dorsal-oblique view low and smoothly rounded; propodeal spine moderately long and thin; postpetiole from above narrow and oval; almost all of body except gaster foveolate.

Minor: posterior half of venter of head in profile weakly concave; humerus in dorsal-oblique view subangulate; propodeal spine vertical to propodeal basal face; occiput slightly narrowed, its margin weakly concave, and nuchal collar absent. Almost all of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.88, HL 0.90, SL 0.56, EL 0.10, PW 0.44. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.42, HL 0.52, SL 0.50, EL 0.06, PW 0.30.

COLOR Major: medium yellowish brown.

Minor: light yellowish brown.



'''Figure. Upper: major, compared with lectotype. Lower: minor, compared with paralectotype. BRAZIL: Caraguatatuba, São Paulo, col. W. L. Brown. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
Santa Catarina, Brazil. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L lignicola, dwelling in wood. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Mayr, G. 1887. Südamerikanische Formiciden. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 37: 511–632.

Text and images from this publication used by permission of the author.