Pheidole mosenopsis

The Paraguayan colony was collected in forest leaf litter. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from the type locality and from Reserva Mbaracayli, Jejuimi, Canendiyli, Paraguay. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Bolivia.

Description
Similar in various characters to Pheidole binasifera, Pheidole diabolus, Pheidole gravida, Pheidole mirabilis, Pheidole mosenopsis, Pheidole nasifera, Pheidole rhinoceros and Pheidole unicornis, especially moseni, and distinguished as follows.

Major: frontal lobes extend forward as rounded subangular processes in side view; eyes very small, Eye Length much less than onetenth Head Width; rugoreticulum present on each side of head from eye to antennal fossa; carinulae cover all of posterior dorsal surface of head except occiput; anterior strip of pronotal dorsum transversely rugulose-carinulate, and almost all of the rest of mesosoma smooth and shiny.

Minor (Canindeyli, Paraguay): proportionately small, and small-eyed; promesonotum in side view smoothly and strongly convex; almost all of dorsal surface of head carinulate and foveolate; lower half of mesopleuron smooth, remainder of meso soma almost all smooth; propodeal spines small, equilaterally triangular.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.82, HL 0.92, SL 0.38, EL 0.06, PW 0.46. Minor (Canendiyli, Paraguay): HW 0.42, HL 0.46, SL 0.40, EL 0.04, PW 0.24.

COLOR Major: head and mandibles dark reddish brown, meso soma and gaster plain medium brown, waist yellowish brown, antennae and legs medium yellow.

Minor (Paraguay): body dark yellowish brown, appendages medium yellow.



'''Figure. Holotype, major. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Locality Information
BOLIVIA: near radio station, Caranavi, Cordallera Real, La Paz, 800 m (Charles Kugler).

Etymology
Gr mosenopsis, resembling mosen(i) (q.v.).