Pheidole tenuis ^HNS new species

types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L tenuis ^HNS, thin, referring to the body shape.

diagnosis A member of the diligens ^HNS group similar to calimana, cataractae ^HNS, demeter ^HNS, machetula ^HNS, scimitara ^HNS, and sicaria ^HNS, distinguished as follows.

Major: scape just reaches occipital border; propodeal spines stout, one-fourth as long as basal propodeal face; postpetiolar node laterally angulate; lower mesopleuron and middle of propodeal side with short, broken rugulae; cephalic carinulae do not extend posteriorly beyond eye.

Minor: occiput narrowed but lacking nuchal collar; mesonotal convexity in side view very small and subangulate; genae lacking carinulae.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.80, HL 0.80, SL 0.84, EL 0.12, PW 0.44. Paratype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.52, SL 0.62, EL 0.10, PW 0.28.

Color Major: head bicolorous, with narrow strip on clypeus and genae yellowish brown, and remainder dark brown; body concolorous dark brown.

Minor: body blackish brown, appendages medium brown.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Collected from a slope covered by spiny bamboo (Guadua).

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COLOMBIA: Finca Los Guadales, 10 km south of San Jose del Palmar, Rio Torito, Choco, 760 m (Charles Kugler). Scale bars = 1 mm.