Pheidole pariana, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 483

Pheidole pariana new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the Paria Peninsula, source of the type series.

diagnosis A medium-sized, long-haired, bicolorous species whose major has extensive rugoreticulum mesad to the eye, occiput covered by scattered foveae, and the remainder of the cephalic dorsum longitudinally carinulate. Close to tennantae of Central America and Colombia but differing in the major in the semicircular (as opposed to angulate) humerus; smooth (as opposed to transversely carinulate) anterior pronotal dorsum; and more extensive cephalic rugoreticulation; and in color of both the castes. Comparable differences separate both of these species ( pariana and tennantae ) from breviscapa , bruchella , caracalla , and subreticulata .

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 0.92, SL 0.44, EL 0.14, PW 0.44. Paratype minor: HW 0.48, HL 0.54, SL 0.46, EL 0.12, PW 0.32.

Color Major: bicolorous, with most of the body medium to dark brown, and the mandibles and head capsule just anterior to the eyes dark yellow. Tarsi clear yellow, rest of legs brownish yellow. Minor: body medium to dark brown, appendages yellow.

Range Known only from the type series.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. VENEZUELA: Cerro Huma via las Melenas, 9.7 km northwest of Irapa, Paria Peninsula, 10A°41 TST 62A°37W, 950 m (J. Lattke). Scale bars = 1 mm.