Pheidole psilogaster

The type colony was collected from sifted litter, leaf mold, and rotting wood in a rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from the type locality, as well as from the Kukra River, Nicaragua, col. Ivette Perfecto. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Mexico.

Nomenclature

 *  psilogaster. Pheidole psilogaster Wilson, 2003: 341, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO. See also: Longino, 2009: 66.

Description
A member of the fallax group, very similar to Pheidole potosiana and less so to Pheidole acamata, Pheidole cielana, Pheidole cockerelli, Pheidole dione, Pheidole hyatti and Pheidole midas.

Major: first gastral tergite covered with short recumbent hairs of even length, and anterior half also by a dense layer of short subrecumbent hairs all of approximately the same length; gastral sternites covered by dense subrecumbent hairs all of which are the same medium length; head and body concolorous light reddish brown; mesopleuron with broken short rugulae; rugoreticulum on head stretches on each side from eye to antennal fossa; carinulae extend posteriorly to eye only a little more than 2X Eye Length, except for those adjacent to midline, which travel from vertex to occiput; humerus in dorsal-oblique view subangulate.

Minor: occiput narrowed with nuchal collar; humerus in dorsal-oblique view denticulate; propodeal spines thin and vertical to basal propodeal space; mesopleuron carinulate. MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.94, HL 1.00, SL 0.82, EL 0.16, PW 0.52. Paratype minor: HW 0.58, HL 0.70, SL 0.90, EL 0.12, PW 0.38.

COLOR Major: concolorous light reddish brown.

Minor: body concolorous plain medium brown; appendages light to yellowish brown except for tarsi, which are yellow.



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

Type Locality Information
MEXICO: Los Tuxtlas, 10 km north-northwest of Sontecomapan, Veracruz, 500 m, col. Philip S. Ward.

Etymology
Gr psilogaster, bare stomach (gaster of ant).

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