Pheidole scolioceps ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Gr scolioceps ^HNS, bent head, alluding to dorsal profile of major.

Diagnosis A member of the transversostriata ^HNS group, closest to gnomus ^HNS of Ecuador, distinguished in the major by the broad swath of transverse carinulae covering the posterior third of the head, but unlike those of gnomus ^HNS, they are less extensive and do not curve downward to the sides; also, the pronotum is completely smooth and shiny and lacks anterior carinulae. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.72, HL 0.88, SL 0.40, EL 0.10, PW 0.34. Paratype minor: HW 0.38, HL 0.44, SL 0.40, EL 0.06, PW 0.24. Color Major and minor: concolorous clear medium yellow.

range Known from the type locality and from the Pirelli Plantation (Iriboca), near Belem, Para, Brazil (P. F. Darlington).

Biology At the type locality, Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin found five colonies in terra firme forest and woodland transitional to seasonally flooded forest, nesting variously in clay soil and, in one instance, a hollow rotten stick on the forest floor.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. PERU: Cuzco Amazonico, 15 km northeast of Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios (Stefan Cover). Scale bars = 1 mm.