Pheidole sospes, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 509

Pheidole sospes Forel, new status

Pheidole anastasii var. sospes Forel 1908h: 381. Syn.: Pheidole minutissima Kusnezov 1952d: 69, 78, n. syn.

Types Mus. Hist. Nat. Geneve.

Etymology L sospes , saving, delivering, significance unknown.

Diagnosis A medium-sized, yellow member of the flavens group; the major has shallow but well-developed antennal scrobes; rugoreticulation across all of the occiput; a small mesonotal convexity, and angulate lateral postpetiolar margins, as well as posteriorly directed propodeal spine and rugoreticulate humerus. Resembles ademonia and peltastes , but easily distinguished by many features of sculpturing, development of the scrobe, and presence in the major of the mesonotal convexity, as illustrated. Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.84, HL 0.92, SL 0.44, EL 0.12, PW 0.44. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.46, SL 0.42, EL 0.08, PW 0.30.

color Major: appendages and gaster clear yellow, rest of body a slightly contrasting reddish yellow ("orange"). Minor: concolorous clear yellow.

Range Sao Paulo, Brazil; Misiones (El Dorado) in extreme northeastern Argentina; and Cuzco Amazonico, near Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru.

biology At Cuzco Amazonico, Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin collected four colonies, all in terra firme forest, nesting in small rotten sticks on the forest floor.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. BRAZIL: Sao Paulo. Scale bars = 1 mm.