Pheidole stigma ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Gr stigma ^HNS, mark, spot, with reference to the dark spot on the head of the major.

diagnosis Distinguished within the diligens ^HNS group by the following combination of traits.

Major: pilosity very sparse, generally, and entirely absent on the mesosoma and waist; head light reddish brown with medium brown spot on vertex and medium brown trim on margins of frontal lobes, as illustrated; carinulae limited to anterior half of head, including margins of frontal lobe, and posterior half of dorsal surface of head and all of gaster smooth and shiny; all of mesosoma and waist foveolate and opaque.

Minor: mesosoma devoid of hair; carinulae limited to circular carinulae around antennal fossae; all of mesosoma and petiole, as well as anterior half of head and side of postpetiole, foveolate and opaque, and the rest of the body smooth and shiny; body medium reddish brown, appendages light reddish brown, tarsi yellow.

Compare with anima ^HNS, bruesi ^HNS, diligens ^HNS, gagates ^HNS, geraesensis ^HNS, nubila ^HNS, piceonigra ^HNS, radoszkowskii ^HNS, and triconstricta ^HNS.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.60, HL 0.64, SL 0.76, EL 0.14, PW 0.40.

Paratype minor: HW 1.00, HL 1.00, SL 0.80, EL 0.18, PW 0.52.

Color See in Diagnosis above.

range Known only from the type locality.

Biology The type colony was found beneath a rock in a pasture.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. ECUADOR: Banos, near Riobamba, 1800 m (Gary J. Umphrey). Scale bars = 1 mm.