Pheidole delicata ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L delicata ^HNS, delicate, dainty.

Diagnosis A medium-sized, mostly dark brown member of the flavens ^HNS group whose major has a bicolored head and mesosoma; long, erect hairs on the promesonotum; propodeal spine reduced almost to a denticle; the petiolar node apex narrow; postpetiole seen from above oval; longitudinal carinulae covering almost all of the head, including the central part of the clypeus (but not the occiput, which is smooth); and mesosoma almost entirely smooth and shiny.

Similar in some but not all of these traits to chalca ^HNS, lucaris ^HNS, and ulothrix ^HNS, differing in additional details of body form, sculpturing, pilosity and color, as variously described above and illustrated.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.00, HL 1.00, SL 0.56, EL 0.14, PW 0.44. Paratype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.62, SL 0.52, EL 0.12, PW 0.40.

Color Major and minor: head anterior to the level of the eyes and sides of the prothorax and mesothorax brownish yellow; appendages light brown.

Range Known only from the type series.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. BOLIVIA: Aserrodero Moira, Santa Cruz, 14A°34'S 61A°12 W (Philip S. Ward). Scale bars = 1 mm.