Pheidole nigella

Nothing is known about the biology of nigella.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from Bolivia and Peru. (Wilson 2003)

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

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 * dimidiata. Pheidole dimidiata Emery, 1894c: 160 (s.w.) BOLIVIA. Junior synonym of nigella: Wilson, 2003: 728.
 *  nigella. Pheidole fabricator var. nigella Emery, 1894c: 155 (s.w.) BOLIVIA. Raised to species and senior synonym of dimidiata: Wilson, 2003: 728.

Description
From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the tristis group similar to Pheidole balzani, Pheidole fabricator and Pheidole tristis, and distinguished from these and other species in the group by the following traits.

Major: small and dark; occiput with very broad, moderately deep median occipital concavity in full-face view; humerus in dorsaloblique view a low, smooth convexity that runs almost indistinguishably into the mesothorax; mesothoracic convexity extremely reduced, barely visible; postpetiolar node oval; weak longitudinal carinulae cover sides of pro no tum.

Minor: humerus with low blunt denticle in dorsal-oblique view; pronotum and mesonotum indistinguishable in a single profile; mesonotal convexity absent.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Major (nigella lectotype): HW 1.06, HL 1.10, SL 0.60, EL 0.14, PW 0.50. Minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.60, SL 0.54, EL 0.10, PW 0.38.

COLOR Major and minor: body concolorous medium brown, appendages brownish yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: major (syntype of synonymous P. dimidiata Emery). Lower: minor (syntype of synonymous P. dimidiata Emery). BOLIVIA: Salinas, Rio Beni, Bolivia; Luigi Balzan. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
Salinas, Rio Beni, Bolivia, col. Luigi Balzan. - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology
L nigella, little dark one. (Wilson 2003)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bezdeckova K., P. Bedecka, and I. Machar. 2015. A checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Peru. Zootaxa 4020 (1): 101–133.
 * Cuezzo, F. 1998. Formicidae. Chapter 42 in Morrone J.J., and S. Coscaron (dirs) Biodiversidad de artropodos argentinos: una perspectiva biotaxonomica Ediciones Sur, La Plata. Pages 452-462.
 * 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. 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.
 * Piva A., and A. E. de C. Campos. 2012. Ant Community Structure (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Two Neighborhoods with Different Urban Profiles in the City of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Psyche 2012 (390748): 1-8
 * Santschi F. 1925. Fourmis des provinces argentines de Santa Fe, Catamarca, Santa Cruz, Córdoba et Los Andes. Comunicaciones del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural "Bernardino Rivadavia" 2: 149-168.
 * Vittar, F. 2008. Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la Mesopotamia Argentina. INSUGEO Miscelania 17(2):447-466
 * Vittar, F., and F. Cuezzo. "Hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) de la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina." Revista de la Sociedad Entomológica Argentina (versión On-line ISSN 1851-7471) 67, no. 1-2 (2008).
 * Wheeler W. M. 1925. Neotropical ants in the collections of the Royal Museum of Stockholm. Arkiv för Zoologi 17A(8): 1-55.