Pheidole steinheili

The type colony was very populous, in loose soil and covered by multiple craters (Forel).

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Colombia.

Nomenclature

 *  steinheili. Pheidole steinheili Forel, 1901e: 353 (s.w.q.m.) COLOMBIA. See also: Wilson, 2003: 757.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A large, distinctive species of the tristis group with no clear affinities.

Major: head capsule in full-face view roughly circular in outline, with smoothly semicircular occipital lobes; carinulae originating along the midline of the dorsal half of the head turn outward; occipital lobes mostly smooth, with a sprinkling of foveae; antennal scape very short, its tip reaching the lateral head margin just posterior to the eye; entire clypeus, most of mesosoma, and dorsum of waist carinulate; anterior half of central strip of first gastral tergite shagreened; postpetiole cone-shaped.

Minor: occiput very narrow but lacks nuchal collar; part of propodeal dorsum and lower fringe of mesopleuron carinulate.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 2.16, HL 2.20, SL 1.00, EL 0.28, PW 1.04. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.74, HL 0.84, SL 1.00, EL 0.18, PW 0.48.

COLOR Major: body medium to dark reddish brown except for posterior half of head capsule, which is light reddish brown; appendages light reddish brown.

Minor: concolorous plain light brown.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
From Wilson (2003): COLOMBIA: Dibulla, Guajira, col. Auguste Forel.

Etymology
Eponymous, no further attribution. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Forel, A. 1901. Variétés myrmécologiques. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 45: 334–382.

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