Pheidole cielana ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the type locality.

Diagnosis A member of the fallax ^HNS group distinguished by the following combination of traits.

Major: medium-sized; reddish brown; median ocellus present; entire body covered by dense, erect to suberect hairs; scape approaches the occipital corner by less than its own width; extensive rugoreticula occur around the eyes and on the frontal lobes; anterior half of pronotal dorsum and all of mesonotal dorsum rugoreticulate.

Minor: all of head, mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque, and anterior half of median strip of first gastral tergite shagreened and opaque.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.14, HL 1.22, SL 0.96, EL 0.20, PW 0.60. Paratype minor: HW 0.64, HL 0.74, SL 0.96, EL 0.16, PW 0.44.

color Major: body and most of head medium reddish brown, appendages and sides of head anterior to eye light reddish brown. Minor: overall medium reddish brown, tarsi yellow.

range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. MEXICO: Rancho Cielo, 17 km northwest of Gomez Farias, Tamaulipas, 1160 m (Philip S. Ward). Scale bars = 1 mm.