Pheidole wardi, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 634

Pheidole wardi new species

TYPES Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology Named after the distinguished myrmecologist and field biologist Philip S. Ward.

Diagnosis A very distinctive species, easily distinguished by the following combination of traits.

Major: posterior profile of dorsal head surface strongly concave; hypostomum 2-toothed; entire posterior half of cephalic dorsum and all of promesonotum rugoreticulate; propodeal spines very long and stout.

Minor: occiput and promesonotum rugoreticulate; lateral thirds of head in full-face view rugulose; humeri cornulate; propodeal spines very long and thin.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.10, SL 0.50, EL 0.14, PW 0.62. Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.52, SL 0.44, EL 0.10, PW 0.36.

Color Major: gaster and legs yellowish brown, rest of body and mandible reddish brown. Minor: concolorous brownish yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Collected in lowland rainforest.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. HONDURAS: Lancetilla, near Tela (William L. Brown). Scale bars = 1 mm.