Pheidole nigella Emery ^HNS, new status

Pheidole fabricator var. nigella Emery ^HNS 1894d: 155. Syn.: Pheidole dimidiata Emery ^HNS 1894d: 160, n. syn. Raised to species level in this monograph: nitidicollis ^HNS, schmalzi ^HNS.

Types Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genova.

Etymology L nigella ^HNS, little dark one.

diagnosis A member of the tristis ^HNS group similar to balzani ^HNS, fabricator ^HNS, and tristis ^HNS, and distinguished from these and other species in the group by the following traits.

Major: small and dark; occiput with very broad, moderately deep median occipital concavity in full-face view; humerus in dorsaloblique view a low, smooth convexity that runs almost indistinguishably into the mesothorax; mesothoracic convexity extremely reduced, barely visible; postpetiolar node oval; weak longitudinal carinulae cover sides of pronotum.

Minor: humerus with low blunt denticle in dorsal-oblique view; pronotum and mesonotum indistinguishable in a single profile; mesonotal convexity absent.

Measurements (mm) Major ( nigella ^HNS lectotype): HW 1.06, HL 1.10, SL 0.60, EL 0.14, PW 0.50. Minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.60, SL 0.54, EL 0.10, PW 0.38.

Color Major and minor: body concolorous medium brown, appendages brownish yellow.

Range Known from Bolivia and Peru.

Biology Unknown.

figure Upper: major (syntype of synonymous P. dimidiata Emery ^HNS). Lower: minor (syntype of synonymous P. dimidiata Emery ^HNS). BOLIVIA: Salinas, Rio Beni, Bolivia; Luigi Balzan. (Type locality of nigella ^HNS: also Salinas, Rio Beni, Bolivia; Luigi Balzan.) Scale bars = 1 mm.