Pheidole oaxacana ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Named after the state of origin of the type colony.

diagnosis Similar in different traits to mixteca ^HNS, scabriventris ^HNS, and tragica ^HNS, also from Mexico, differing as follows. Major: a broad rugoreticulum occurs between eye, antennal fossa, and frontal carina on each side of the head; midclypeus partially carinulate, and carinulae travel from the frontal lobes across the vertex but fall short of the occiput; all of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque; anterior half of central strip of first gastral tergite shagreened; occipital cleft broad and deep; propodeal spines robust and backward-directed; postpetiole from above diamond-shaped.

Minor: eye set well forward on head; propodeal spines half as long as the propodeal basal face and backward-directed; pilosity sparse; occiput broad, its margin concave, and lacking nuchal collar. All of head and mesosoma foveolate and opaque. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 1.00, SL 0.50, EL 0.14, PW 0.46. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.52, SL 0.42, EL 0.06, PW 0.32.

Color Major: body and mandibles medium reddish brown, other appendages dark yellow. Minor: concolorous light reddish yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology Unknown.

figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. MEXICO: 10 km south of Valle Nacional, Oaxaca, 610 m (Stewart B. Peck). Scale bars = 1 mm.