Pheidole nubila Emery

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard University Press : 211

Pheidole nubila Emery , new status

Pheidole triconstricta var. nubila Emery 1906c: 153.

Types Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova.

Etymology L nubila , cloudy, probably referring to the more foveolate and opaque condition of the body that distinguishes the form from triconstricta .

Diagnosis A member of the diligens group distinguished as follows.

Major: pronotal dorsum bilobous (hence, promesonotum trilobous) in dorsal-oblique view; extremely sparse pilosity, which is entirely absent on the mesosoma; dense longitudinal carinulae covering all the frontal lobes and extending back over the vertex; rugoreticulum mesad to the eyes.

Minor: all of body except the gaster foveolate and opaque; pronotum with a second convexity in dorsal-oblique view.

Close to triconstricta , differing (among other traits) in the more extensive foveolae and carinulae, as well as thinner petiolar node, of the major; and darker color of both castes (q.v.).

See also anima , diligens , gagates , piceonigra , radoszkowskii , and stigma . Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.14, HL 1.18, SL 0.72, EL 0.20, PW 0.56. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.64, SL 0.74, EL 0.14, PW 0.38. Color Major and minor: reddish brown.

Range Besides the type locality (Salta), Kempf (1972b) lists Argentine records from Cordoba, Jujuy, and Santa Fe.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. ARGENTINA: Salta (no further locality). Scale bars = 1 mm.