Pheidole harlequina

This species is only known from five collections. The type colony was collected roughly in the center of Hispaniola, in a pine-hardwood ravine, with the other specimens all from eastern Dominican Republic.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
A Hispaniola endemic that is only known from the Dominican Republic.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Dominican Republic, Greater Antilles.

Nomenclature

 *  harlequina. Pheidole harlequina Wilson, 2003: 432, figs. (s.w.) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

Description
Similar to Pheidole drepanon, another unusual Dominican endemic, differing from it and all other Pheidole as follows.

Major: propodeal spine thick, curved slightly, and as long as the propodeal basal face anterior to it; body multicolored as depicted and described under Color below; head much broader than long, expanding posteriorly to maximum width at occiput; a small patch of rugoreticulum present between eye and antennal fossa on each side, and most of rest of dorsal surface of head carinulate; postpetiole from above oval.

Minor: multicolored, as described below; propodeal spines thick, curved, and as long as the propodeal basal face anterior to them.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.94, HL 0.90, SL 0.66, EL 0.14, PW 0.50. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.50, SL 0.62, EL 0.10, PW 0.34.

COLOR Major: multicolored; mesosoma and waist dark brown; posterior rear half of head, a large circular patch covering part of vertex, and all of frontal triangle and clypeus medium brown; and rest of body clear yellow.

Minor: head, mesosoma, and waist dark brown; gaster pale yellow; appendages light to brownish yellow.



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

Type Material
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Greater Antilles): Hotel Nueva Sueza, Constanza, La Vega Prov., 1300 m, col. William L. and Doris E. Brown.

Etymology
NL harlequina for harlequin, clown in multicolored, brightly patterned costume.