Pheidole tillandsiarum Wheeler, 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 525

Pheidole tillandsiarum Wheeler , new status

Pheidole floridana var. tillandsiarum Wheeler 1934g: 166.

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L tillandsiarum , belonging to tillandsias (bromeliad epiphytes).

diagnosis Similar in various details to amabilis , arhuaca , citrina , crinita , delicata , floridana , hedlundorum , mallota , melastomae , nitidicollis , similigena , and terresi , differing as follows.

Major: yellow; occipital lobes smooth and shiny, and most of rest of head carinulate and sparsely foveolate; carinulate immediately mesad to eye curve forward (in side view) to travel to the anterior genal border; mesonotal convexity present but rudimentary; entire mesosoma foveolate; postpetiole from above trapezoidal.

Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.86, HL 0.90, SL 0.44, EL 0.12, PW 0.40.

color Major: medium yellow with reddish overtone except for appendages and gaster, which are plain medium yellow. Range Known only from the type locality.

biology The type colony was collected from an epiphyte (Tillandsia streptophylla).

Figure Lectotype, major. MEXICO: Mirador, Veracruz (Elisabeth Skwarra). (Minor not seen.) Scale bar = 1 mm.