Pheidole pilispina Wilson, 2003, new species

Pheidole pilispina new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L pilispina, hairy spine, alluding to the long setae on apices of humeri in minor caste.

Diagnosis Similar to pidax of Colombia, distinguished from it and other Pheidole as follows.

Major: yellow; humerus very prominent, in dorsal-oblique view extending from rest of promesonotal profile as a large equilateral triangle; in full-face view occiput much broader than clypeus, and occipital cleft shallow, giving entire head a wedge shape; rugoreticulum extensive from eye to antennal fossa posterior to frontal carina on each side of head; rest of dorsal surface of head carinulate, except for frontal triangle and midclypeus; all of mesosoma and waist foveolate; lateral corners of genae in full-face view right-angulate; postpetiole from above oval.

Minor: humeri bluntly spinose, with a long seta emerging form the apex of each; occiput narrow and with a nuchal collar; all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate to varying degree; pilosity sparse.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.12, SL 0.60, EL 0.12, PW 0.54.

Paratype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.60, SL 0.64, EL 0.10, PW 0.40.

color Major and minor: concolorous medium yellow.

Range Known from the type locality and Barro Colorado Island, Panama.

Biology Unknown.

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