Pheidole paranana

Identification
Similar species are Pheidole geraesensis and Pheidole triconstricta. Majors of P. paranana have the vertexal lobe smooth and the anterior surface of head strongly sculptured with an areolaterugose patch between eye and frontal carina; and pronotal dorsum areolate with a reticulate-rugose patch anteriorly; P. geraesensis has the head almost entirely smooth; and P. triconstricta has the pronotal dorsum uniformly areolate throughout its distribution in Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo).

Minors of P. paranana have the clypeal disc overlain with several rugulae with interspaces areolate; P. geraesensis has the surface strongly areolate while in P. triconstricta this surface is smooth. This same key character occurs in sympatric populations of P. paranana and P. triconstricta in the state of Paraná (see Franco & Feitosa (2018) for the records).

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Brazil.

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole triconstricta var. paranana Santschi, 1925b: 13 (s.) BRAZIL.
 * Junior synonym of radoszkowskii: Wilson, 2003: 221.
 * Status as species: Casadei-Ferreira, Economo & Feitosa, 2020: 14.

Taxonomic Notes
This species was first described as a variety of Pheidole triconstricta by Santschi (1925). The author described P. paranana in comparison with Pheidole triconstricta rosariensis based on the denser head sculpture in P. paranana. The sculpture on the pronotal surface can also readily differentiate these species, while P. paranana has the dorsum reticulate rugose, P. rosariensis has the dorsum areolate. Wilson (2003) synonymized P. paranana under Pheidole radoszkowskii, without further justification. The head sculpture morphologically distinct in both species, with P. radoszkowskii head being densely sculptured and opaque, whereas the fronto-vertexal surface of the head is smooth in P. paranana.