Pheidole demeter

Of three colonies collected by Cover and Tobin at Cuzco Amazónico, Peru, two were nesting in rotten sticks in the litter surface of terra firme forest, and the third was beneath the bark of a palm log in seasonally flooded forest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Peru.

Description
A member of the diligens group closest to Pheidole calimana, Pheidole cataractae, Pheidole scimitara and Pheidole tenuis, differing as follows.

Major: humerus in side view with “sharkfin” extension; propodeal spine small and sharp or else reduced to a denticle as illustrated; posterior half of dorsal head surface covered by longitudinal carinulae, those on occiput broken and faint; space between eye and antennal fossa rugoreticulate.

Minor: propodeal spine absent; occiput narrowed, with nuchal collar.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.08, HL 1.12, SL 0.80, EL 0.20, PW 0.48. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.62, SL 0.82, EL 0.14, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major: head and mandibles light brown with slight reddish tinge; anterior half of first gastral tergite plain light brown; mesosoma and rest of gaster plain medium brown; rest of appendages light, almost yellowish brown.

Minor: concolorous plain medium brown except for first gastral tergite and appendages, which are light brown.



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

Type Locality Information
PERU: Cuzco Amazónico, 15 km northeast of Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios (Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin).

Etymology
Gr demeter, goddess of agriculture and social order.