Pheidole pubiventris

This species occurs in open areas and synanthropic habitats. It has been collected at baits during the day or night, and as nocturnal foragers. The localities, combined with a note accompanying a specimen from El Campano, Magdalena, Colombia (“in road,” W. L. Brown), suggests that this species may be adapted to disturbed habitats. A winged queen was collected at El Campano in June. (Wilson 2003, Longino 2009)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Southern Brazil to Mexico.

This taxon was described from Brazil.

Nomenclature

 *  pubiventris. Pheidole pubiventris Mayr, 1887: 595 (s.), 604 (w.), 607 (q.) BRAZIL. Senior synonym of cearensis, nevadensis, timmii: Wilson, 2003: 218; of indistincta, variegata: Longino, 2009: 66.
 * variegata. Pheidole pubiventris subsp. variegata Emery, 1896g: 72 (s.w.q.) COSTA RICA. Forel, 1908b: 54 (m.). Raised to species: Wilson, 2003: 245. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Longino, 2009: 66.
 * indistincta. Pheidole indistincta Forel, 1899c: 75 (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Longino, 2009: 66. See also: Wilson, 2003: 196.
 * cearensis. Pheidole pubiventris r. cearensis Forel, 1901e: 353 (s.w.) BRAZIL. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Wilson, 2003: 218.
 * nevadensis. Pheidole pubiventris var. nevadensis Forel, 1901e: 353 (s.w.q.) COLOMBIA. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Wilson, 2003: 218.
 * timmii. Pheidole pubiventris r. timmii Forel, 1901h: 62 (s.w.) U.S.A. Incertae sedis in Myrmicinae: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1414. Junior synonym of pubiventris: Wilson, 2003: 218.

Description
From Wilson (2003): A medium-sized brown member of the diligens group with relatively sparse, extremely long, erect to suberect curving hairs over the dorsa of the head and body.

Major: sculpturing of head consists entirely of carinulae, which are confined to the anterior half of the head capsule; promesonotal profile trilobous and pronotal humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view.

Minor: humerus angulate; pronotum mostly foveolate and opaque.

Similar to Pheidole longiseta, Pheidole sensitiva and Pheidole variegata (= Pheidole pubiventris); differing in many details of body form, sculpturing, and pilosity, as illustrated.

See also the less similar Pheidole blumenauensis, Pheidole rochai, Pheidole seeldrayersi and Pheidole vafra.

Majors from Colombia have shorter pilosity and more angulate humeri than the Brazilian series; and thus may represent a distinct species.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Syntype major (Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard): HW 1.14, HL 1.12, SL 0.86, EL 0.22, PW 0.56. Syntype minor (Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard): HW 0.54, HL 0.68, SL 0.86, EL 0.16, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major: light reddish yellow (probably a callow or faded; fresher specimens are blackish brown).

Minor: body medium brown, with light brown appendages (fresher specimens are blackish brown).



'''Figure. Upper: syntype, major. Lower: syntype, minor. The specimens illustrated are from the. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
and - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
BRAZIL. Santa Catarina. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L pubiventris, hairy belly, evidently alluding to the conspicuously long pilosity of the gaster. (Wilson 2003)