Pheidole guajirana

Found in or near rainforest, variously in sand and, in one instance, a rotten log in beach sand. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Known from collections made at elevations to 200 m in several localities in Guajira and Magdalena, Colombia, as well as a series from the Caracaraí Road 20 km northeast of Manaus, Brazil. (Wilson 2003)

This taxon was described from Colombia.

Description
Somewhat similar in various traits to the Nearctic species Pheidole casta, Pheidole mera and Pheidole tysoni, and easily distinguished as follows.

Major: posterior half of dorsal head profile flat; eye set well forward on head, pearl-shaped, with anterior end tapered slightly; head bicolored; dorsum of promesonotum covered with faint longitudinal carinulae, and foveolate; petiolar node tapered at apex; postpetiole from above diamond-shaped.

Minor: eye set well forward on head; occiput broad, its margin weakly concave; all of head, mesosoma, and petiole foveolate.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.70, HL 0.78, SL 0.34, EL 0.10, PW 0.36. Paratype minor: HW 0.40, HL 0.44, SL 0.32, EL 0.06, PW 0.26.

COLOR Major: most of body medium brown (mesosoma tending to dark brown), and anterior one-sixth of head capsule, and appendages, brownish yellow.

Minor: body medium brown, appendages brownish yellow.



'''Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.'''

Type Locality Information
COLOMBIA: Puente Bomba, near Dibulla, Guajira (William L. and Doris E. Brown).

Etymology
Named after the northernmost region of Colombia, origin of the type series.