Pheidole perkinsi, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 485

Pheidole perkinsi new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology Named after the collector and entomologist Philip D. Perkins.

Diagnosis Similar in various traits to albipes , ceibana , lemnisca , peltastes , renae , tayrona , and xyston , differing as follows. Major: blackish brown body contrasts with pale yellow legs; shallow antennal scrobe present; on dorsal head surface, carinulae and rugulae covering anterior three-fourths of head give way to band of irregular rugoreticulum just in advance of occiput, which gives way in mm to the smooth occiput; eye narrow, placed far forward on head; humeri and metanotum rugoreticulate; postpetiole elliptical.

Minor: eye very large, set forward on the head so that it is separated from the anterior head margin by only about a Head Length; humerus denticulate; propodeal spine equilaterally triangular.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.76, HL 0.80, SL 0.48, EL 0.08, PW 0.42.

Paratype minor: HW 0.40, HL 0.44, SL 0.42, EL 0.08, PW 0.22.

color Major: body blackish brown except for genae, which are contrasting reddish yellow; mandibles reddish brown; other appendages pale yellow.

Minor: body blackish brown, appendages pale yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. DOMINICA (WEST INDIES): trail 0.2 km northeast of Ponte Casse, northwest slope of Morne Trois Pitons, St. Paul's Parish, 790 m (Philip D. Perkins). Scale bars = 1 mm.