Pheidole grex ^HNS new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology Gr grex ^HNS, herd or flock.

Diagnosis A medium-sized, slender, yellow species placed in the flavens ^HNS group (but with habitus intermediate to the punctithorax ^HNS group), whose major has completely foveolate dorsum of the head (exclusive of central clypeus and frontal triangle) and mesosoma; carinulae limited to the anterior two-thirds of the head capsule; profde of the posterior half of the head flat in side view; relatively long, slender, nearly erect propodeal spines; low but distinct mesonotal convexity; and low postpetiolar node in side view.

Minor: foveolation as in major; sparse, paired hairs on mesonotal dorsum; and short, erect propodeal spines that curve forward. Somewhat similar to humida ^HNS, but different in many details, as figured.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.94, HL 1.08, SL 0.60, EL 0.16, PW 0.52.

Paratype minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.58, SL 0.52, EL 0.10, PW 0.16.

Color Major: concolorous dark yellow.

Minor: concolorous medium yellow.

Range Known from Cundinamarca and Meta provinces in Colombia.

Biology Unknown.

Figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COLOMBIA: Susumuco, Bogota-Villavicencio, Cundinamarca, Km 88, 1100 m (William L. and Doris E. Brown). Scale bars = 1 mm.