Pheidole aurea, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 557

Pheidole aurea new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

ETYMOLOGY L aurea , gold, referring to the yellow color of both worker castes, and the type locality (El Dorado).

diagnosis A member of the " bicarinata complex" of the larger pilifera group, comprising agricola , aurea , bajaensis , barbata , bicarinata , centeotl , cerebrosior , defecta , gilvescens , macclendoni , macrops , marcidula , paiute , pinealis , psammophila , vinelandica , xerophila , yaqui , and yucatana ; which complex is characterized by the large to very large forward-set eyes of both castes; and in the major, the occipital lobes lacking any sculpturing (except in aurea ); the posterior half of the head capsule almost entirely smooth and shiny; and the postpetiolar node seen from above oval, elliptical, or laterally angulate (cornulate in cerebrosior ).

P. aurea in particular is distinguished by the following combination of traits.

Major: yellow; occiput with narrow band of transverse rugulae, which do not extend all the way across the occipital lobes; propodeal spines blunt, equilaterally triangular; humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view; postpetiolar node elliptical when seen from above. Minor: clavate hairs present on promesonotal dorsum.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.84, HL 0.92, SL 0.50, EL 0.20, PW 0.40.

Paratype minor: HW 0.42, HL 0.48, SL 0.46, EL 0.12, PW 0.26.

Color Major: medium yellow, head slightly darker in shade than rest of body.

Minor: concolorous medium yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

BioiLOGY Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. TEXAS: 5 km northwest of Eldorado, Schleicher Co. (O. F. Francke). Scale bars = 1 mm.