General description: This species is considered here in a wide conception, including all members of “Ph. pallidula complex” of Seifert (2016). In the Lower Volga region passes the northern boundary of the species area: to the south of latitude about 46.5 degrees (south of Kalmykia and Astrakhan Region) it is common and abundant, more northern findings are not known. Thus, there is a reference of Ruzsky (1903, 1905) for mountain Maloe Bogdo in territory of Kazakhstan in 25 kilometers from mountain Bol’shoe Bogdo in Akhtubinsy District of the Astrakhan Region, at latitude approximately 48.5 degrees. This allows us to assume that P. pallidula may occur in the Lower Volga region east of the Volga River, much to the north of the currently known collection locations.

Seifert, B. 2016. Inconvenient hyperdiversity – the traditional concept of “Pheidole pallidula” includes four cryptic species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Soil Organisms 88(1):1-17.