Pheidole paraensis ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the Brazilian state of origin of the types.

diagnosis A member of the " jujuyensis ^HNS complex" of the larger fallax ^HNS group, comprising araneoides ^HNS, cuevasi ^HNS, durionei ^HNS, jujuyensis ^HNS, kugleri ^HNS, leonina ^HNS, leptina ^HNS, lucretii ^HNS, lupus ^HNS, paraensis ^HNS, punctithorax ^HNS, tijucana ^HNS, wallacei ^HNS, and wolfringi ^HNS. P. paraensis ^HNS differs as follows. Major: proportionately small-headed; head subrectangular in full-face view; a very loose (large-celled) rugoreticulum stretches on each side of the head from eye to frontal carina and is succeeded posteriorly by widely spaced rugulae that almost attain the occiput; antennal scape reaches about halfway between level of the eye and level of occiput; propodeal spines in side view reduced to right angles.

Minor: propodeal spines absent; occiput narrowed, with thin nuchal collar. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.50, HL 1.50, SL 1.00, EL 0.22, PW 0.68. Paratype minor: HW 0.46, HL 0.64, SL 0.86, EL 0.14, PW 0.34.

color Major: body and mandibles light reddish brown, gaster plain light brown, appendages brownish yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Unknown.

figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. BRAZIL: Utinga Tract, near Belem, Para (P. f. Darlington). Scale bars = 1 mm.