Pheidole tachigaliae Wheeler ^HNS

Pheidole tachigaliae Wheeler ^HNS 192If: 148.

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology L tachigaliae ^HNS, referring to the plant on which the type colony was found.

Diagnosis A member of the tachigaliae ^HNS group, characterized by very small size and 11-segmented antennae, this species is easily recognized by the following traits.

Major: dorsal surface of head longitudinally carinulate (not transversely carinulate as in other tachigaliae-group species); pronotal dorsum lightly sprinkled with foveolae, feebly shiny; propodeal spines short, stout and directed strongly backward. Minor: all of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque.

Measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.64, HL 0.74, SL 0.32, EL 0.08, PW 0.40. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.34, HL 0.38, SL 0.28, EL 0.08, PW 0.22.

Color Major: concolorous medium yellow; vertex with a fuzzy, circular brown spot as illustrated. Minor: concolorous pale yellow.

Range Known from the type locality and from Kaw, French Guiana (Mark W. Moffett).

biology Found on the ant-plant Tachigalia.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. GUYANA: Kartabo (William M. Wheeler). Scale bars = 1 mm.