Pheidole peregrina

On the type series, by Hermann von Ihering, as quoted by W. M. Wheeler (1916: 180–181): “One morning, while [Mr. Gaste, a local naturalist] was on the island of San Sebastian, he found a tree trunk that had floated to the shore during the night and was filled with a living ant-colony belonging to a species of Pheidole [peregrina Wheeler] unknown to me. San Sebastian is situated some kilometers off the coast of the mainland. Of course, we cannot say how long this log had been floating in the water before it reached the island.” It may be that peregrina, like the anatomically similar and widespread vafra, is a specialist in marginal habitats. The types of the synonymous Pheidole impariceps var. fusciclava were collected on another island in the same area, Ilha dos Alcatrazes. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from several localities in São Paulo state. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Brazil.

Description
From Wilson (2003): A small, yellow member of the diligens group whose major has posterior two-thirds of head capsule smooth and shiny, rugoreticulum present as a small patch just mesad to the eye, moderately abundant pilosity, and short equilaterally triangular propodeal spine in side view.

Similar to Pheidole blumenauensis, Pheidole laevifrons, Pheidole mooreorum, Pheidole rochai and Pheidole vafra, differing in many details of body form, sculpturing, and pilosity, as figured.

See also the somewhat less similar Pheidole lemur, Pheidole pubiventris, Pheidole seeldrayersi, Pheidole spilota, Pheidole variegata (= Pheidole pubiventris), Pheidole venatrix and Pheidole zelata.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.00, HL 1.06, SL 0.74, EL 0.14, PW 0.56. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.64, SL 0.76, EL 0.14, PW 0.36.

COLOR Major: concolorous dark yellow.

Minor: head light brownish yellow, rest of head and appendages clear dark yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Material
- as reported in Wilson (2003)

Type Locality Information
BRAZIL: Isla São Sebastião, São Paulo. (Wilson 2003)

Etymology
L peregrina, traveling, foreign. Referring to discovery of the type colony on a floating log. (Wilson 2003)

Additional References
Wheeler, W. M. 1916p. Ants carried in a floating log from the Brazilian mainland to San Sebastian Island. Psyche (Camb.) 23:180–183.

Text and images from this publication used by permission of the author.