Pheidole moffetti

This species is only known from type specimens. These were collected in the Kaw Mountains at the edge of rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: French Guiana.

Nomenclature

 *  moffetti. Pheidole moffetti Wilson, 2003: 463, figs. (s.w.) FRENCH GUIANA.

Description
DIAGNOSIS A medium-large, mostly brown member of the flavens group, distinguished in the major by the completely carinulate sculpturing of the dorsal surface of its head, including notably all of the clypeus; the nearly perfect semicircular profile of the promesonotum in side view; trapezoidal postpetiolar node; rugose mesopleuron; and long pilosity; and in the minor by the bicolorous condition of the body. Close to Pheidole bidens and Pheidole styrax, but among other details, lacking teeth on the anterior clypeal border.

See also the less similar Pheidole nasutoides and Pheidole tennantae.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.04, SL 0.58, EL 0.14, PW 0.50. Paratype minor: HW 0.50, HL 0.54, SL 0.48, EL 0.10, PW 0.34. COLOR Major: head medium reddish brown, rest of body medium brown, appendages brownish yellow.

Minor: gaster dark brown, rest of body and appendages light reddish brown.



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

Type Material
FRENCH GUIANA: Kaw Mountains, 45 km marker, col. Mark W. Moffett.

Etymology
Named in honor of the collector and distinguished naturalist Mark W. Moffett.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
 * Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.