Pheidole juniperae, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 440

Pheidole juniperae new species

TYPES Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the prevailing tree of the type locality habitat.

diagnosis Similar in various traits to chalca of Mexico, mera of Texas, and neolongiceps of Cuba, differing as follows. Major: yellow; shallow antennal scrobe present; carinulae originating on frontal lobes travel posteriorly all the way to but not across the occiput, which is smooth and sprinkled with foveae; space between eye and antennal fossa on each side of head rugoreticulate; almost all of mesosoma smooth and shiny; center of promesonotal dorsum in side view flat; postpetiole from above elliptical, with angulate lateral margins.

Minor: eye large, Eye Length almost a fourth of Head Width, and nearly as long as distance from eye to anterior clypeal margin; occiput very broad, its margin weakly concave; propodeal spines small, in side view equilaterally triangular.

measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.80, HL 0.94, SL 0.42, EL 0.14, PW 0.50.

Paratype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.46, SL 0.38, EL 0.08, PW 0.26.

color Major: concolorous medium yellow, with mandibles a slightly darker shade.

Minor: concolorous medium yellow.

range Known from several collections at the type locality at 1660-1675 m.

biology The species was found by Stefan Cover in juniper-oak-pinyon savanna with a grassy understory. The nest openings were cryptic and in most cases surmounted by a minute turret of vegetable fibers. No seeds were found in the nests.

figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. ARIZONA: 11 km west-northwest of Montezuma Pass, Huachuca Mts., Cochise Co., 1660 m (Stefan Cover). Scale bars = 1 mm.