Pheidole schmalzi

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

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Santa Catarina and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Bolivia; Venezuela. (Wilson 2003)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  schmalzi. Pheidole dimidiata var. schmalzi Emery, 1894c: 161 (s.w.) BRAZIL. Raised to species and senior synonym of rata, rehi: Wilson, 2003: 504.
 * rehi. Pheidole rehi Forel, 1900e: 285 (s.w.q.m.) VENEZUELA. Junior synonym of schmalzi: Wilson, 2003: 504.
 * rata. Pheidole rata Borgmeier, 1929: 206, pl. 6, fig. 2; pl. 7, fig. 6 (s.w.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of schmalzi: Wilson, 2003: 504.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A medium-sized reddish yellow to brown member of the flavens group; both major and minor are immediately recognizable by the large, “shark-fin” shape of the humerus in dorsal-oblique view, meaning that the anterior margin is straight and the posterior margin convex in profile, tipped with an acute or right angle. Very similar to Pheidole angulifera, and in varying degree also to Pheidole arhuaca, Pheidole caulicola, Pheidole chalca, Pheidole nitidicollis, Pheidole mincana, Pheidole sagana, Pheidole tambopatae and Pheidole tragica in overall appearance but distinctive in the humeral shape and other traits in body shape, sculpture, pilosity, and color.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.94, HL 0.94, SL 0.46, EL 0.10, PW 0.48. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.54, SL 0.58, EL 0.08, PW 0.34.

COLOR Lectotype major of schmalzi: body and appendages light brown, waist and gaster dark brown (rehi syntype major is yellowish brown; rata syntype major is light reddish yellow).

Paralectotype minors of schmalzi: body light to medium brown, appendages light brown. Syntype minors of synonymous rehi and rata: light brown.



'''Figure. Upper: major (syntype of synonymous P. rata Borgmeier). Lower: minor (syntype of synonymous P. rata Borgmeier). BRAZIL: Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, type locality of synonymous P. rata. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
Named after the collector “Signor Schmalz.” (Wilson 2003)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Emery C. 1894. Studi sulle formiche della fauna neotropica. VI-XVI. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana 26: 137-241.
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Kempf W. W. 1978. A preliminary zoogeographical analysis of a regional ant fauna in Latin America. 114. Studia Entomologica 20: 43-62.
 * Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
 * Kusnezov N. 1953. La fauna mirmecológica de Bolivia. Folia Universitaria. Cochabamba 6: 211-229.
 * Rosa da Silva R. 1999. Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) do oeste de Santa Catarina: historico das coletas e lista atualizada das especies do Estado de Santa Catarina. Biotemas 12(2): 75-100.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1925. Neotropical ants in the collections of the Royal Museum of Stockholm. Arkiv för Zoologi 17A(8): 1-55.