Pheidole bambusarum

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 646-778 : 662

Pheidole bambusarum Forel

Pheidole bambusarum Forel 1908h: 376. Syn.: Pheidole ogloblini Kusnezov 1952d: 85, synonymy by Kempf 1972d: 450.

Types Mus. Hist. Nat. Geneve; Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology NL bambusarum , belonging to bamboo (Bambusa).

Diagnosis A densely sculptured member of the tristis group notable for the almost complete covering of the head and pronotum with rugoreticula in both major and minor. Most similar to brevicona (but also compare aper , dyctiota , laeviventris , lutzi , risii , rugatula , senilis , sigillata , trachyderma , and traini ), differing in the major in the rugoreticulate venter of the head and sides of pronotum; the oval (as opposed to cone-shaped) postpetiolar node; smaller size; and lighter color. Measurements (mm) Syntype major ( bambusarum ): HW 1.14, HL 1.20, SL 0.66, EL 0.16, PW 0.56. Syntype minor ( bambusarum ): HW 0.70, HL 0.78, SL 0.74, EL 0.12, PW 0.44.

color Major: body light brownish yellow except for the gaster and appendages which are pale yellow. Minor: body medium yellow except for the gaster and appendages which are pale yellow. Syntypes of synonymous ogloblini are yellow (major) or light reddish brown (minor).

Range Known from southern Brazil (Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo) and north-central Argentina (Misiones).

biology The types were collected from large hollow bamboos in a forest near Sao Paulo.

figure Upper: paratype, major of synonymous P. ogloblini Kusnezov . Lower: syntype, minor of synonymous P. ogloblini Kusnezov . ARGENTINA: Yacuy, Misiones. (Type locality: Sao Paulo, Brazil, collected by Adolphe Lutz). Scale bars = 1 mm.