Pheidole gangamon ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Gr gangamon ^HNS, a small, round net, referring to the occipital rugoreticulum of the major.

Diagnosis Close to arctos ^HNS, but distinguishable from it (and other members of the scrobifera ^HNS group) by the pattern of sculpturing and details of body form in the major, and in the unusually long, needle-like propodeal spines and piligerous cornicles of the humeri, also as shown.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.24, HL 1.54, SL 0.58, EL 0.16, PW 0.72. Paratype minor: HW 0.58, HL 0.58, SL 0.58, EL 0.12, PW 0.38. color Major: body and appendages medium reddish brown; gaster dark brown. Minor: light brown.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology The nest of the type colony was in black clayey soil in the middle of a path through degraded lowland rainforest. The single entrance hole was surrounded by a narrow ring of excavated earth. Major workers were scarce (E. O. Wilson).

figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. MEXICO: Pueblo Nuevo, near Tetzonapa (E. O. Wilson). Scale bars = 1 mm.