Pheidole abakytan

This species was collected in pitfall traps in a savanna area at 917 m. The type-locality, Parque Estadual do Cerrado in Jaguariaíva, Paraná state, represents the southernmost fragment of the Cerrado biome in Brazil, where the prevailing vegetation are the open woodlands.

Identification
Similar species are Pheidole laevifrons, Pheidole lemur, and Pheidole zelata. All these species, which are included in the diligens group, present majors with lateral margins of the head with appressed setae, space between eye and frontal carina with a small reticulaterugose patch, and vertexal surface smooth. Pheidole abakytan can be differentiated from Pheidole laevifrons by first gastral tergum with a combination of stiff standing and appressed setae, while in Pheidole laevifrons these setae are flexuous. Pheidole lemur has the first gastral tergum finely areolate, and Pheidole abakytan has a smooth gastral surface. The main difference between Pheidole zelata and Pheidole abakytan is that the propodeal projection is spiniform in Pheidole zelata while in Pheidole abakytan this projection is triangular. Minors of Pheidole abakytan have the head surface predominantly areolate, and in Pheidole laevifrons and Pheidole zelata the surface is smooth.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole abakytan Casadei-Ferreira, Economo & Feitosa, 2020: 5, figs. 1, 11 (w.) BRAZIL.