Pheidole guerrerana ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the Mexican state of origin.

Diagnosis A member of the crassicornis ^HNS group distinguished by the following combination of traits.

Major: rugoreticulum mesad to the eyes very extensive, reaching from near the posterior clypeal border to midway between the eye and occiput; pilosity very dense and long, especially on the dorsal surfaces of the head and on the gastral tergites; anterior strip of pronotal dorsum transversely carinulate; postpetiole from above diamond-shaped.

Minor: pilosity extremely long over most of the body; humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view; occiput narrowed, with rudiment of a nuchal collar.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.28, HL 1.42, SL 1.02, EL 0.24, PW 0.66. Paratype minor: HW 0.58, HL 0.74, SL 0.94, EL 0.20, PW 0.42.

Color Major: head indistinctly bicolorous, with capsule anterior to eye level yellow and remainder yellowish brown; mesosoma and appendages yellowish brown; waist and gaster plain light brown.

Minor: indistinctly bicolorous, with head capsule posterior to anterior margin of eye as well as gaster and postpetiolar dorsum light brown; remainder of body dark yellow to brownish yellow. Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology The nest of the type colony was beneath a rock in a forest clearing. A winged queen was present on 31 July.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. MEXICO: at road 3.5 km below Omilteme, Guerrero, 2000 m (Cornell University Field Party). Scale bars = 1 mm.