Pheidole fissiceps

Nothing is known about the biology of fissiceps.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Peru.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  fissiceps. Pheidole fissiceps Wilson, 2003: 145, figs. (s.w.) PERU.

Description
A member of the biconstricta group, similar to Pheidole biconstricta, Pheidole plato, Pheidole simplex and Pheidole socrates, easily distinguished as follows.

Major: deep midoccipital cleft; large propodeal spines; flat profile posterior dorsal surface of the head; aligned appressed pilosity of the dorsal head surface; transversely carinulate pronotal dorsum.

Minor: tapered occiput with well-developed occipital collar.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.56, HL 1.70, SL 1.18, EL 0.22, PW 0.74. Paratype minor: HW 0.58, HL 0.78, SL 1.06, EL 0.16, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major and minor: concolorous yellow.



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

Type Material
PERU: Estácion Biologia de Cocha Cashu,Madre de Dios Prov., 400 m col. Diane W. Davidson.

Etymology
L fissiceps, cleft head, referring to the deep median occipital cleft.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Davidson, D.W. 2005. Ecological stoichiometry of ants in a New World rain forest. Oecologia 142:221-231
 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
 * Mertl, A.L. and J.F.A. Traniello. 2009. Behavioral evolution in the major worker subcaste of twig-nesting Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): does morphological specialization influence task plasticity? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 63:1141-1426
 * Mertl, A.L., K.T. Ryder Wilkie and J.F.A. Traniello. 2009. Impact of Flooding on the Species Richness, Density and Composition of Amazonian Litter-Nesting Ants. Biotropica 41(5):633-641