Pheidole diabolus, Wilson, E. O., 2003

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 681

Pheidole diabolus new species

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L diabolus , devil, evil spirit.

diagnosis Similar in various respects to the species listed in the heading above, but strongly distinguished as follows.

Major: a sharp, upcurved horn grows from the center of the clypeus; humeri are very prominent, seen from above extending beyond the rest of the pronotum below, and in dorsal-oblique view forming a large equilateral triangle; propodeal spines more than half as long as the propodeal basal face; carinulae and rugulae on the frontal lobes give way posteriorly to a tight rugoreticulum, which then yields to a loose rugoreticulum, and next to foveolae, which finally are replaced by a smooth zone on the occiput.

Minor: all of head and mesosoma and most of waist foveolate; humeri angulate; propodeal spines half as long as the propodeal basal face and curved backwards.

Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.18, HL 1.36, SL 0.54, EL 0.20, PW 0.64.

Paratype minor: HW 0.52, HL 0.54, SL 0.58, EL 0.12, PW 0.52.

Color Major: body and mandibles medium reddish brown; other appendages yellow.

Minor: concolorous brownish yellow.

Range Known only from the type locality.

Biology The type colony, found on a forested mountain ridge, was nesting in a 4-cm-wide, rotten tree branch on the ground. A cache of seeds was present, as well as a male (1-4 June).

figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. COLOMBIA: Finca Los Guaduales, 10 km southwest of San Jose del Palmar, Rio Torito, Choco (Charles Kugler). Scale bars = 1 mm.