Pheidole cardinalis

The type colony came from an earthen nest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Brazil.

Description
A member of the fallax group, closest to Pheidole caribbaea, Pheidole kukrana, Pheidole mantilla, Pheidole obscurior (=Pheidole susannae) and Pheidole rubiceps (also scan Pheidole alienata, Pheidole fallax, Pheidole jelskii, Pheidole lanigera, Pheidole lattkei, Pheidole lovejoyi, Pheidole petrensis, Pheidole puttemansi, Pheidole roushae, Pheidole susannae and Pheidole tobini), distinguished by the following combination of traits.

Major: brownish red, with yellow appendages; pilosity of posterior dorsal profile of head a mix of dense, uniform, medium-length semierect hairs and sparse, much longer erect hairs; occiput, frontal lobes, and vertex carinulate; area between eye and vertex rugoreticulate; the tip of the antennal scape comes to within a distance equal to the maximum scape width of the occipital border; shagreened and opaque.

Minor: nuchal collar present; propodeal spines reduced to denticles.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.40, HL 1.50, SL 1.04, EL 0.22, PW 0.66. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.74, SL 0.94, EL 0.14, PW 0.66.

COLOR Major: body medium brownish red (“brick red”) except for genae anterior to eyes, which, along with the appendages, are reddish yellow.

Minor: body concolorous light brown; appendages yellowish brown.



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

Type Locality Information
BRAZIL: Serra Caraça, Minas Gerais, 1380 m (K. Lenko).

Etymology
L cardinalis, red.