Pheidole arhuaca

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 373

Pheidole arhuaca Forel

Pheidole arhuaca Forel 1901j: 364. Syn.: P. arhuaca var. bimons Forel 1912g: 234, n. syn. types Mus. Hist. Nat. Geneve; Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Referring to the type locality, San Antonio, an "arhuaque" (Arawak) village.

Diagnosis A medium-sized, yellow species with conulate humerus in both major and minor, when seen in dorsal-oblique view. Close to caulicola of Costa Rica but with less prominent humeri, longer antennal scapes, and broader, more angulate postpetiolar node in both castes, as well as completely foveolate central pronotal dorsum in the major. Also similar but less so to chalca , chalcoides , mincana , schmalzi , and tragica .

Measurements (mm) Syntype major (Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard): HW 0.80, HL 0.86, SL 0.40, EL 0.10, PW 0.44. Syntype minor (Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard): HW 0.46, HL 0.50, SL 0.44, EL 0.06, PW 0.30. color Major and minor: concolorous yellow.

Range Known only from the types of arhuaca sensu str. (Colombia) and of its variety bimons (Ceara, Brazil).

Biology Forel found the type colony under a dried pat of cow dung.

Figure Upper: syntype, major. Lower: syntype, minor. COLOMBIA: San Antonio, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Auguste Forel). Scale bars = 1 mm.