Pheidole mamore ^HNS Mann, new status

Pheidole guilelmimuelleri subsp. mamore ^HNS Mann 1916: 429.

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the type locality.

diagnosis Distinguished among members of the scrobifera ^HNS group (as well as the somewhat similar antillana ^HNS, avia ^HNS, bucculenta ^HNS, guilelmimuelleri ^HNS, hetschkoi ^HNS, heyeri ^HNS, hortonae ^HNS, praeses ^HNS, and rhytifera ^HNS in the tristis ^HNS group) as follows.

Major: rugoreticulum on head limited to a patch posterior to each eye and another inside the anterior part of each antennal scrobe; anterior strip of pronotal dorsum transversely carinulate, the remainder rugoreticulate; mesonotal convexity subangulate in side view. Minor: propodeal spines reduced to denticles; entire body smooth and shining, with the sole sculpturing being the circular carinulae around the antennal fossae.

Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.64, HL 1.64, SL 0.74, EL 0.20, PW 0.90. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.64, SL 0.68, EL 0.14, PW 0.38. color Major: medium to dark reddish brown, appendages light reddish brown. Minor: body plain medium ("chocolate") brown, appendages medium brownish yellow.

Range In addition to the types, I have seen material from around Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil; near Puerto Maldonado, Leticia, and Tingo Maria, Peru; Suriname; and Guyana.

Biology Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin found this species on the floor of forest transitional from terra firme to floodplain at Cuzco Amazonico, near Puerto Maldonado, Peru. I encountered it in primary rainforest near Manaus. Colonies nest in pieces of rotten wood on the forest floor.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. BRAZIL: Madeira-Mamore railway track, km 284, Rondonia (W. M. Mann). Scale bars = 1 mm.