Pheidole tambopatae ^HNS new species

TYPES Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

etymology L tambopatae ^HNS, after the region of the type locality.

diagnosis A medium-sized species, bicolorous in an odd pattern in both castes (see description below). Similar to mincana ^HNS, but the major is rugoreticulate mesad to the eye and has an oval postpetiolar node; and both castes have smaller, more vertically directed propodeal spine and somewhat shorter pilosity.

See also the less similar arhuaca ^HNS, caulicola ^HNS, chalca ^HNS, chalcoides ^HNS, meinerti ^HNS, meinertopsis ^HNS, schmalzi ^HNS, and tragica ^HNS. measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.84, HL 0.92, SL 0.44, EL 0.10, PW 0.44. Paratype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.48, SL 0.42, EL 0.08, PW 0.30.

Color Major: occiput, dorsum of head capsule anterior to the eyes, side of the mesosoma, and all of the waist and appendages very light brown, rest of body medium to dark brown.

Minor: dorsum of head capsule anterior to the eyes, side of the mesosoma, all of the waist, and anterior two-thirds of the first gastral tergite light brown; all the rest of the body medium to dark brown.

Range Known from the type locality; from near Cali, Colombia; and from the Utinga Tract, near Belem, Para, Brazil.

biology The type colony was found beneath the bark of a tree in a treefall clearing. The Colombian colony was collected from a spiny bamboo (Guadua) grove.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. PERU: Cuzco Amazonico, 15 km northeast of Puerto Maldonado, Tambopata River, Madre de Dios (Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin). Scale bars = 1 mm.