Pheidole lovejoyi, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 318

Pheidole lovejoyi new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology Named after Thomas E. Lovejoy, distinguished field biologist and my host at Fazenda Dimona.

diagnosis A member of the fallax group, most similar to laniger (but also scan alienata , cardinalis , caribbaea , fallax , jelskii , lattkei , mantilla , obscurior , petrensis , puttemansi , rubiceps , roushae , susannae , tobini ), distinguished by the following combination of traits.

Major: in full-face view, profde of head posterior to eyes fringed by short, subrecumbent hairs of uniform length; in side view, center of pronotal dorsal profile raised as a low convexity; petiolar peduncle slender, its dorsal border concave in side view; pronotal dorsum partly carinulate; anterior strip of first gastral tergite foveolate and opaque.

Minor: nuchal collar present; propodeal spine reduced to obtuse angle.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.42, HL 1.50, SL 1.04, EL 0.20, PW 0.66.

Paratype minor: HW 0.46, HL 0.64, SL 0.94, EL 0.12, PW 0.34.

Color Major: head reddish brown, mesosoma plain medium brown, gaster and appendages plain light brown. Minor: head medium brownish yellow, appendages and rest of head medium brownish yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology In lowland rainforest.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. BRAZIL: Fazenda Dimona, Smithsonian Institution Field Station, 90 km north of Manaus, Amazonas (E. O. Wilson). Scale bars = 1 mm.