Pheidole pariana

This species is only known from type specimens. Nothing is known about its biology.

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

This taxon was described from Venezuela.

Description
A medium-sized, long-haired, bicolorous species whose major has extensive rugoreticulum mesad to the eye, occiput covered by scattered foveae, and the remainder of the cephalic dorsum longitudinally carinulate. Close to Pheidole tennantae of Central America and Colombia but differing in the major in the semicircular (as opposed to angulate) humerus; smooth (as opposed to transversely carinulate) anterior pronotal dorsum; and more extensive cephalic rugoreticulation; and in color of both the castes. Comparable differences separate both of these species (pariana and tennantae) from Pheidole breviscapa (=Pheidole perpusilla), Pheidole bruchella, Pheidole caracalla and Pheidole subreticulata.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.92, HL 0.92, SL 0.44, EL 0.14, PW 0.44. Paratype minor: HW 0.48, HL 0.54, SL 0.46, EL 0.12, PW 0.32.

COLOR Major: bicolorous, with most of the body medium to dark brown, and the mandibles and head capsule just anterior to the eyes dark yellow. Tarsi clear yellow, rest of legs brownish yellow.

Minor: body medium to dark brown, appendages yellow.



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

Type Locality Information
VENEZUELA: Cerro Huma via las Melenas, 9.7 km northwest of Irapa, Paria Peninsula, 10°41'N 62°37'W, 950 m (J. Lattke).

Etymology
Named after the Paria Peninsula, source of the type series.