Pheidole obtusa Stitz, 1917

Bernhard Seifert, 2016, Inconvenient hyperdiversity - the traditional concept of “ PheIdole pallIdula ” includes four cryptic species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Soil Organisms 88 (1), pp. 1-18 : 14

Pheidole obtusa Stitz, 1917

Investigation of the type series and of those of Pheidole pallidula selenia Özdikmen, 2010 showed that this species strongly differs from the Ph. pallidula group members. Ph. obtusa shows strikingly larger RAV-corrected scape length, femur length and eye length data (SL/CS1.25 0.677, Fe3L/CS1.25 0.880, EL/CS1.25 0.184 – compare with Tab. 2 ). Furthermore, the postpetiole is much narrower (PPW/ CS1.25 0.223) with the sides appearing in dorsal view convex to obtusely angled even in large specimens. Further diagnostic differences to the Ph. pallidula group members are provided by the following characters. The propodeal spines are thinner, longer and much less erect – they deviate by 45–65° from longitudinal mesosomal axis and are often suggestively curved caudad. The interspaces between carinulae on frontolateral vertex are somewhat shining but are much stronger microreticulate. In fully lateral view, the mesosoma shows no metanotal depression which, however, becomes visible in dorsolateral view. The mesonotum shows well marked but very blunt-angled lateral corners which may be connected by a slightly concave ridge. Mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum are strongly microreticulate with few largely longitudinal rugae and carinae.