Pheidole terresi Wheeler

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 523

Pheidole terresi Wheeler and Mann

Pheidole terresi Wheeler and Mann 1914: 22. Syn.: Pheidole terresi var. illota Wheeler and Mann 1914: 23, n. syn.

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology Named after J. B. Terres, one of William M. Mann's hosts in Haiti.

Diagnosis A medium-sized, concolorous yellow member of the flavens group distinguished in both major and minor by the almost complete absence of sculpturing over the entire body (which is thus smooth and shiny), except for longitudinal carinulae on the anterior half of the head capsule. Further, in the major: a weakly developed but distinct mesonotal convexity in dorsal-oblique view, petiolar node triangular in side view, postpetiolar node subangulate from above.

Minor: pilosity sparse and short, propodeal spine shaped like an equilateral triangle.

Similar species: amabilis , boliviana , melastomae , mixteca , scitula , and especially crinita and similigena .

measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.84, HL 0.90, SL 0.42, EL 0.08, PW 0.40.

Paralectotype minor: HW 0.38, HL 0.44, SL 0.38, EL 0.06, PW 0.24.

color Major: concolorous clear medium yellow, except for gaster and appendages, which are light yellow. Minor: concolorous pale yellow.

Range Hispaniola, recorded from both Haiti and the Dominican Republic, within 800-1600 m. An apparent endemic.

biology In Haiti, the type colonies were recorded as nesting in soil (W. M. Mann), while in the Dominican Republic, the Constanza

colony was found beneath a rock in a pine-hardwood forested ravine (W. L. and D. E. Brown).

Figure Upper: major. Lower: minor. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Hotel Nueva Sueza, Constanza, La Vega Province, 1300 m (William L. and Doris E. Brown). (Type locality: Diquini, Haiti). Scale bars = 1 mm.