Pheidole mutisi

The type material was collected from the litter of montane humid forest.

Identification
Fernández & Wilson (2008) - The very long propodeal spines, body smooth and shining lacking pilosity (major) distinguishes this new species from any other New World Pheidole.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  mutisi. Pheidole mutisi Fernández & Wilson, 2008: 207, figs. 1, 2 (s.w.) COLOMBIA.

Worker
Holotype major (paratype minor) HL 1.38 (0.80) HLA 0.35 (0.30) HW 1.20 (0.61) SL 0.98 (1.07) EL 0.19 (0.14) ML 1.35 (1.08) PSL 0.50 (0.50) PMG 0.08 (0.06) SPL 0.08 (0.04) PTW 0.23 (0.11) PPW 0.33 (0.2) IHT 0.44 OHT (0.50 aprox.) CI 87 (77) SI 71 (134) PSLI 36 (63) PMGI 5.4 (7.1) SPLI 5.8 (5.4) PPI 145 (175) HTI 88 (aprox.).

A medium size member of the Pheidole diligens group, distinguished by the following traits.

Major. Light brown, medium sized, head slightly longer than broad, sides slightly convex, vertex deeply convex in the middle, in lateral view, mesonotum narrowly produced, propodeal spines very long, surpassing petiolar length; head, mandibles, promesonotum, coxae, dorsum of petiole and postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining, mesopleuron and propodeum reticulate, sides of petiole and postpetiole finely reticulate; except for appendages, body completely lacking pilosity.

Minor. Light brown, occiput narrowed with short nuchal, propodeal spines in side view noticeably longer than petiole, and from above divergent; dorsum of head, petiole and gaster with long, erect hairs (largest about 0.26 mm), rest of body (except appendages) without pilosity.

Color. Major and minor: Body light brown, in major mandibles and genae dark brown.

Type Material
(Major). Colombia, Nariño. Altaquer. Barbacoas. El Barro. Ñambí Natural Reserve, 1º18’N 78º05’W, 1200 m., 1-March-2006, S. Cabrera leg. No. 32 (Deposited in ); Paratypes (One major, two minors), same data (Deposited in ICN, ).

Etymology
Named after José Celestino Mutis, the distinguished XVIII naturalist, named “The Wiseman”, a Neogranadinian who realized the first study of habits in tropical ants in the Americas.