Pheidole trageri, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 358

Pheidole trageri new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the myrmecologist and collector of the type series James Trager.

diagnosis A member of a complex of Pheidole species with giant majors having short bristly hair, in the fallax group and comprising astur , oxyops , praeusta , and trageri . P. trageri is distinguished among them by the following combination of traits. Major: lacking rugoreticulum on head; one carinula on each side of the dorsal cephalic midline reaches the occiput but otherwise nearly the entire posterior half of the dorsal surface of the head capsule is smooth and shiny; pronotum faintly bilobous in dorsaloblique view; propodeal spines stout, long, and vertical to the basal propodeal face; postpetiolar node seen from above trapezoidal; pronotum entirely smooth and shiny.

Minor: occiput narrowed somewhat, with nuchal collar; propodeal spine reduced to a denticle; entire mesosoma, including pronotum, foveolate and opaque.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 2.10, HL 2.44, SL 1.04, EL 0.26, PW 0.92. Paratype minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.80, SL 0.94, EL 0.16, PW 0.44.

color Major: light reddish yellow (light "orange"), color deepening from middle of head forward, reaching light reddish brown on mandibles.

Minor: concolorous yellow.

Range Known only from the type series.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. BRAZIL: campus of Universidade Federale de Mato Grosso, Cuiaba, Mato Grosso (James Trager). Scale bars = 1 mm.