Pheidole variceps ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L variceps, bent head (of major).

Diagnosis A very distinctive member placed tentatively in the tristis ^HNS group.

Major: posterior half of dorsal head profile concave; pilosity very dense and long, with many hairs 2X Eye Length; occiput mostly smooth, and rest of head mostly carinulate, with carinulae adjacent to head midline reaching occipital border; a patch of rugoreticulum present posterior to each antennal fossa; mesosomal dorsum foveolate and opaque; postpetiole from above diamond-shaped. Minor: occiput broad, lacking nuchal collar; humeri in dorsal-oblique view subangulate; dorsal head surface and all of mesosoma foveolate and opaque; postpetiolar node suppressed; propodeal spines reduced to denticles. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.58, HL 1.70, SL 0.80, EL 0.18, PW 0.68. Paratype minor: HW 0.66, HL 0.72, SL 0.74, EL 0.08, PW 0.42.

Color Major: brownish yellow except for mandibles, which are light brown, hence darker. Minor: body brownish yellow, appendages clear medium yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. MEXICO: 6 km south of San Cristobal de Las Casas, 2200 m (John E. Rawlings). Scale bars = 1 mm.