Pheidole scabriventris, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 503

Pheidole scabriventris new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L scabriventris , rough belly (gaster), referring to the shagreening of the first gastral tergite.

diagnosis Similar to mixteca , oaxacana , and trageri of Mexico, differing as follows.

Major: brown, with bluish reflections on first gastral tergite; humerus in dorsal-oblique view raised and subangulate; head quadrate; postpetiolar node from above diamond-shaped; all of anterior half of dorsal head surface carinulate, including clypeus; all of dorsal head surface and of mesosoma foveolate and opaque; anterior two-thirds of central strip of first gastral tergite shagreened and with faint bluish reflections.

Minor: humerus in dorsal-oblique view low and subangulate; postpetiolar node suppressed; pilosity sparse, on mesosomal dorsum consisting of widely and evenly spaced pairs of setae; all of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 0.92, SL 0.50, EL 0.14, PW 0.44. Paratype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.52, SL 0.46, EL 0.08, PW 0.30.

Color Major: body, mandibles, and most of antennae medium brown; legs brownish yellow.

Minor: body and most of appendages medium brown; tarsi brownish yellow.

Range Known from the type locality, and from Estacion Biologica Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz.

Biology The Los Tuxtlas series was taken from ground litter in rainforest (P. S. Ward) and the holotype series from tropical evergreen forest (S. and J. Peck).

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. MEXICO: 3.2 km west of Fortin, on Highway 150, Veracruz (Stewart B. and Jarmila Kukalova-Peck). Scale bars = 1 mm.