Pheidole noar Wilson, 2003, new species

Pheidole noar new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Gr noar, phantom.

Diagnosis A member of the diligens group, somewhat similar to accinota, alpestris, and cameroni of South America, but very distinct from these and other species of the group in the following combination of traits.

Major: body concolorous yellow, appendages pale yellow; eye pear-shaped, coming to a small point at its anterior edge; propodeal spine half as long as the basal propodeal face; body almost entirely smooth and shiny.

Minor: pale yellow; propodeal spine thin, needle-like; humerus in dorsal-oblique view denticulate; body almost completely smooth and shiny; carinulae completely absent from head and body, including antennal fossae. measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.10, SL 0.70, EL 0.20, PW 0.50. Paratype minor: HW 0.42, HL 0.48, SL 0.60, EL 0.10, PW 0.28.

Color Major: concolorous yellow, mandibles brownish yellow, other appendages pale yellow. Minor: body and appendages concolorous pale yellow. Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Discovered by Philip S. Ward foraging on the ground in the Cabo Rojo coastal desert. Its pale color suggests that this surprising species is probably nocturnal. A male was collected with the type colony (9 September).

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Cabo Rojo, 17°54'N 71°40W, 5 m (Philip S. Ward). Scale bars = 1 mm.