Pheidole fracticeps, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 133

Pheidole fracticeps new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L fracticeps, broken head, from the appearance of the major occiput.

Diagnosis A member of the aberrans group closest to the Argentine species lilloi , differing from it and other species in the group by the following set of traits.

Major: very small; yellow; hypostoma 4-toothed; in side view, occiput juts out like a brow, with the principal transverse carina (in profile) giving it a sharp edge, and the profile of the head below it dipping away as a strong concavity; in full-face view, occiput bearing the principal demarcating transverse carina plus several others that cross as irregular lines; eye elliptical, placed forward to a little more than an Eye Length from the anterior genal border.

Minor: dorsal surface of head and most of mesosoma and waist foveolate, with a near absence of carinulae overall. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.68, HL 0.86, SL 0.30, EL 0.10, PW 0.40. Paratype minor: HW 0.38, HL 0.44 (approximately), SL 0.34, EL 0.06, PW 0.24. Color Major: concolorous medium yellow. Minor: concolorous yellow.

Range Known from the type locality (Trinidad); Yasuni Research Station, Puerto Tiputini, Yasuni National Park, Ecuador; two series from Brazil; and Reserva Mbaracayu, Dept. Canindeyu, Paraguay.

biology Probably a rainforest species. The South American specimens were taken variously from leaf litter and soil.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor (head partly crushed). TRINIDAD: Maracas Valley (N. A. Weber, May 1936). Scale bars = 1 mm.