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Pheidole gigasHNS new species

types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L gigasHNS, giant.

diagnosis A large member of the fallaxHNS group most similar to obscurithoraxHNS of Argentina (and exotic in the southern U. S.), and somewhat less so to the fallaxHNS, jelskiiHNS, and puttemansiHNS, differing as follows.

Major: robust; hypostoma 2-toothed; entire head heavily sculptured, with genae, venter, and broad median strip (including frontal lobes) longitudinally carinulate and most of the remainder, from genae to occiput, rugoreticulate; most of pronotal and propodeal dorsa transversely carinulate; anterior strip of first gastral tergite shagreened; promesonotal convexity in dorsal-oblique view strongly lobose and directed posteriorly; petiolar peduncle very thick, petiolar node low; postpetiole laterally angulate, scape broadened at insertion.

Minor: occiput narrow, with nuchal collar; head and pronotum shiny; propodeal spines reduced to denticles. Measurements (mm) Holotype major: HW 2.00, HL 1.96, SL 1.06, EL 0.24, PW 0.94. Paratype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.80, SL 1.00, EL 0.16, PW 0.46.

Color Major: gaster and postpetiole dark reddish brown, rest of body medium reddish brown.

Minor: gaster dark reddish brown, rest of body light to medium reddish brown.

Range Known only from the type locality and from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil (J. C Trager).

Biology The type colony was collected in cerrado, or tropical savanna. A seed cache was found in the nest.

figure Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. BRAZIL: Mun. Anapolis, km 46 on road to Goiania, Goias (William L. and Doris E. Brown). Scale bars = 1 mm.