Pheidole ecuadorana, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 413

Pheidole ecuadorana new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the country of the type locality.

Diagnosis A medium-sized bicolorous (major) or light brown (minor) species with extremely long pilosity in both castes; narrow occiput with following collar in the minor; high, subangular humerus in dorsal-oblique view in the major; and mostly smooth shiny head and pronotum in both castes. The propodeal spiracle of the minor is unusual in its elliptical shape and position on the propodeum.

Most similar to erratilis , flavifrons , and petersoni , but differing in many details of body shape, sculpturing, pilosity, as illustrated, and in color.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.82, HL 0.82, SL 0.50, EL 0.10, PW 0.42. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.54, SL 0.50, EL 0.06, PW 0.32.

color Major: head yellow with large, circular, medium-brown spot on vertex as shown; appendages yellow; rest of body brownish yellow.

Minor: concolorous light brown.

Range Known only from the type series.

Biology Collected in a clearing created by a tree fall in second-growth forest.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. ECUADOR: Endesa Forest Reserve, Pichincha Province (Leeanne Tennant-Alonso). Scale bars = 1 mm.