Pheidole diligens (F. Smith)

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard University Press : 188

Pheidole diligens (F. Smith)

Atta diligens F. Smith 1858a: 168. Placement in Pheidole by Mayr 1886c: 360.

Types Nat. Hist. Mus. London.

Etymology L diligens , industrious.

diagnosis A member of the diligens group distinguished from the very similar inversa , pugnax , and radoszkowskii , and other diligens group members by the following combination of traits.

Major: yellow; usually (or always) with two teeth on the hypostoma; sculpturing other than foveolation confined to the anterior half of the head capsule and consisting solely of carinulae (no rugoreticulation); all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque; only a narrow anterior strip of first gastral tergite foveolate and opaque, rest of gaster smooth and shiny; pilosity extremely sparse overall, and absent on the mesosoma; humerus cornulate in dorsal-oblique view; promesonotal profile with 2 (not 3) convexities in dorsal-oblique view.

Minor: occiput broad, lacking nuchal collar; head, mesosoma, and waist entirely foveolate and opaque; anterior half of first gastral tergite foveolate and opaque, with remainder of gaster smooth and shiny. Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.10, SL 0.76, EL 0.22, PW 0.52. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.64, SL 0.74, EL 0.14, PW 0.38.

color Major and minor (types): concolorous medium yellow. Fresh material from Brazil is light reddish yellow.

Range Para, Mato Grosso, Goias, and Sao Paulo states, Brazil; and Amazonian Peru (Cuzco Amazonico, Madre de Dios).

Biology Two series were taken by Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin at Cuzco Amazonico, Peru, both in terra firme rainforest; one was in leaf litter, and another in soil beneath a small palm log. A series of the closely similar P. radoszkowskii was collected at the same locality, but true to the general preference of that species for disturbed habitats, the colony was in seasonally flooded forest.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major (the rear view of the petiolar node is drawn from a major from Paraopeba, Minas Gerais). Lower: paralectotype, minor (the dorsal-oblique view of the mesosoma is drawn from a minor from Goias state, and the complete antenna is drawn from a minor from "Mt. Transpantaneira," Brazil). BRAZIL: Vila Nova, "Amazonas" (Vila Nova is now in Para state). Scale bar = 1 mm.