Pheidole steinheili

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 757

Pheidole steinheili Forel

Pheidole steinheili F'orel 190lj: 353.

Types Mus. Hist. Nat. Geneve.

Etymology Eponymous, no further attribution.

diagnosis A large, distinctive species of the tristis group with no clear affinities.

Major: head capsule in full-face view roughly circular in outline, with smoothly semicircular occipital lobes; carinulae originating along the midline of the dorsal half of the head turn outward; occipital lobes mostly smooth, with a sprinkling of foveae; antennal scape very short, its tip reaching the lateral head margin just posterior to the eye; entire clypeus, most of mesosoma, and dorsum of waist carinulate; anterior half of central strip of first gastral tergite shagreened; postpetiole cone-shaped.

Minor: occiput very narrow but lacks nuchal collar; part of propodeal dorsum and lower fringe of mesopleuron carinulate.

Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 2.16, HL 2.20, SL 1.00, EL 0.28, PW 1.04.

Paralectotype minor: HW 0.74, HL 0.84, SL 1.00, EL 0.18, PW 0.48.

Color Major: body medium to dark reddish brown except for posterior half of head capsule, which is light reddish brown; appendages light reddish brown. Minor: concolorous plain light brown.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology The type colony was very populous, in loose soil and covered by multiple craters (A. Forel).

Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. COLOMBIA: Dibulla, Guajira (Auguste Forel). Scale bars = 1 mm.