Pheidole epetrion ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Gr epetrion ^HNS, needle, referring to the needle-like propodeal spine.

diagnosis A member of the scrobifera ^HNS group known only from the minor, close to arctos ^HNS of northeastern Mexico and thrasys ^HNS of Panama, differing in the longer propodeal spines, carinulate genae, absence of a nuchal collar, and mostly foveolate, opaque dorsal half of the head capsule.

measurements (mm) Holotype minor: HW 0.66, HL 0.68, SL 0.70, EL 0.14, PW 0.42. color Minor: body blackish brown, tarsi yellow, rest of appendages medium brown.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Collected on the floor of second-growth forest.

figure Holotype, minor. ECUADOR: Endesa Forest Reserve, Pichincha (Leeanne Tennant-Alonso). Scale bar = 1 mm.