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)

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia.

Worker
Major

Nomenclature

 *  guajirana. Pheidole guajirana Wilson, 2003: 431, figs. (s.w.) 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 Material
COLOMBIA: Puente Bomba, near Dibulla, Guajira, col. William L. and Doris E. Brown.

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