Species: Pheidole mallota

Current Valid Name:

Taxonomic History (provided by Barry Bolton, 2023)

Pheidole mallota Wilson, 2003a: 449, figs. (s.w.) PANAMA. Neotropic. Primary type information: Primary type material: holotype major worker. Primary type locality: Panama: San Blas, Nusagandi (L.E. Tennant-Alonso). Primary type depository: MCZC. Secondary type information: Secondary type material: 1 paratype minor worker. Secondary type locality: same as for holotype. Secondary type depository: MCZC. Type notes: Details of paratype castes and their numbers are not given. AntCat AntWiki HOL

Taxonomic history

Status as species: Longino, 2019 doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4599.1.1 PDF: 96.

// Distribution

Distribution:

  Geographic regions (According to curated Geolocale/Taxon lists):
    Americas: Costa Rica, Panama
  Biogeographic regions (According to curated Bioregion/Taxon lists):
    Neotropical

Comments:

J. Longino, 20 Apr 2014: This species is extremely similar to P. citrina, differing only in the larger size of the major worker. In P. citrina, major HW is 0.65-0.76mm. The single holotype major of P. mallota (from the one known collection of the species) has HW 0.91mm.

Taxonomic Treatment (provided by Plazi)

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

Pheidole mallotaHNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology Gr mallotaHNS, woolly, referring to dense, curving pilosity of body.

diagnosis Similar in various traits to amabilisHNS, arhuacaHNS, citrinaHNS, crinitaHNS, delicataHNS, hedlundorumHNS, laselvaHNS, melastomaeHNS, nitidicollisHNS, similgenaHNS, terresiHNS, and tillandsiarumHNS, differing as follows.

Major: yellow; head as broad as long; antennal scapes long, their tips touching sides of head much more than halfway from eye to occipital corner; propodeal spines moderately long, directed backward, and curved; pilosity long, and many of the hairs curved and tangled; promesonotal profile flat; apex of petiolar node in side view broad and rounded; postpetiole from above elliptical, with angulate sides; carinulae cover only anterior half of head dorsum; most of body smooth and shiny.

Minor: eye narrow; occiput broad, convex; antennal scapes exceed occipital margins by a third their own length; propodeal spines very thin, needle-like.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.90, HL 0.90, SL 0.58, EL 0.10, PW 0.42.

Paratype minor: HW 0.48, HL 0.54, SL 0.60, EL 0.06, PW 0.30.

color Major: concolorous medium yellow, with a dark yellow spot on vertex.

Minor: concolorous dark yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. PANAMA: Nusagandi, San Bias (Leeanne E. Tennant-Alonso). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Specimen Habitat Summary

Found most commonly in these habitats: 5 times found in ridgetop cloud forest, isolated peak with oak trees, 1 times found in montane wet forest, near streams, 3 times found in montane wet forest, along ridge leading to stream, oak trees present, probably mature or old 2nd growth with relict trees, near pasture, 1 times found in wet forest, 1 times found in montane wet forest, 1 times found in montane wet forest, near stream, large oak trees, near pasture.

Found most commonly in these microhabitats: 10 times ex sifted leaf litter, 1 times at bait, 1 times sifted litter.

Collected most commonly using these methods: 8 times miniWinkler, 1 times baiting, 2 times maxiWinkler, 1 times Winkler.

Elevations: collected from 730 - 1670 meters, 977 meters average

Collect Date Range: collected between 1992-03-07 00:00:00.0 and 2015-07-13 00:00:00.0

Type specimens: holotype Pheidole mallota: jtlc000016446

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Citing AntWeb

Species: Pheidole mallota Wilson, 2003

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