Pheidole ebenina ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L ebenina ^HNS, black.

diagnosis Close to and possibly synonymous with laselva ^HNS, also similar in various traits to albipes ^HNS, alticola ^HNS, browni ^HNS, crinita ^HNS, delicata ^HNS, euryscopa ^HNS, lustrata ^HNS, mallota ^HNS, melastomae ^HNS, monteverdensis ^HNS, and tillandsiarum ^HNS, differing by the following traits. Major: dark, almost blackish brown; eyes set well forward on head; pilosity dense and long, with some hairs equal to Eye Length; promesonotal profde in side view semicircular, in dorsal-oblique view with two low pronotal convexities and a somewhat larger mesonotal convexity; propodeal spines equilaterally triangular; postpetiolar node from above elliptical; posterior half of head and all of mesosoma smooth and shiny.

Minor: eyes set very far forward in head; entire body almost completely smooth and shiny; propodeal spines equilaterally triangular.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.68, HL 0.76, SL 0.38, EL 0.08, PW 0.34.

Paratype minor: HW 0.38, HL 0.42, SL 0.36, EL 0.08, PW 0.24.

Color Major: body dark, almost blackish brown; appendages dark yellow.

Minor: body dark brown, appendages dark yellow.

Range Known from the type locality and a series from Buenaventura, Valle, Colombia (W. L. Brown).

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COSTA RICA: Petilla Research Station, Guanacaste Conservation Area, Guanacaste Province, 500 m (David Olson). Scale bars = 1 mm.