Pheidole susannae

Longino, J. T., 2009, Additions to the taxonomy of New World Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)., Zootaxa 2181, pp. 1-90 : 79-80

Pheidole susannae

Pheidole susannae Forel, 1886 : xliii. Syntype major, minor worker: Guatemala, Retalhuleu (Stoll) [ MHNG] (examined).

Pheidole susannae r. obscurior Forel, 1886 : xliv. Lectotype major worker (here designated, labeled with unique pin code JTLC 000015316) and associated paralectotype minor worker: Brazil, Rio de Janeiro (Naegeli) [ MHNG] (examined). Forel, 1893: 410: description of queen, male. Wilson, 2003: 330: raised to species, senior synonym of P. partita . New Synonymy.

Pheidole partita Mayr, 1887: 590 (major worker), 604 (minor worker): Brazil, Rio de Janeiro (Naegeli). Wilson, 2003: 330: junior synonym of P. obscurior . New Synonymy.

Pheidole susannae r. atricolor Forel, 1901a: 356 . Syntype major,minor worker, gyne, male: Colombia, Magdalena, San Antonio (Forel) [ MHNG] (examined). Wilson, 2003: 351: junior synonym of P. susannae .

Pheidole incisa subsp. evoluta Borgmeier, 1929: 204 , pl. 6, fig. 3. Syntype major, minor worker: Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 30 Nov 1924 (Buck). Kempf, 1964: 63: junior synonym of P. susannae .

Geographic Range

Southern Mexico to southern Brazil.

Biology

This species occurs in various habitats, including highly disturbed areas (city parks), seasonal dry forest, mature lowland rainforest, and second growth rainforest. It can occur on the ground or in the canopy. Workers readily recruit to baits, and major workers often recruit along with minor workers. Nests are in small cavities and appear to be somewhat opportunistically inhabited.

Comments

Although Wilson (2003) illustrated a "Lectotype major worker," among the type material of P. susannae borrowed from MHNG for this study, none was labeled Lectotype.

The syntypes of P. susannae and P. obscurior are very similar in all respects but color. The syntypes of P. susannae are yellow; those of P. obscurior are dark brown. The key in Wilson separates the species on relative scape length in the major, with P. obscurior purported to have relatively longer scapes. However, measurements of the types reveal that the lectotype of P. obscurior has a SI that is actually lower than that of syntypes of P. susannae .

Pheidole susannae is a relatively common species found in disturbed habitats throughout the Neotropics. It appears quite uniform in morphology across its range. With the exception of the type series, all the material examined to date has been dark red brown. The types are inexplicably yellow. A yellow form may be discovered in Guatemala (the type locality), but given that the types were collected in the nineteenth century with uncertain methods of preservation, there is the possibility that the coloration is a preservation artifact.