ABSTRACT
Abstract The ant genus Pheidole is the most species-rich lineage of ants in the world and one of the dominant organisms in tropical regions. However, the knowledge of Pheidole diversity in the southern half of the Neotropical Region is fragmentary. Here, we offer contributions to the Pheidole taxonomy considering the species that occur in the grassland formations of South Brazil. The following species are revived from synonymy: P. idiota Santschi rev. stat., P. obscurior Forel rev. stat., P. paranana Santschi stat. rev. et n. stat. and P. strobeli Emery rev. stat. The following synonyms are proposed: P. idiota (= P. laticornis Wilson n. syn.), P. obscurior (= P. partita Mayr n. syn., = P. incisa evoluta Borgmeier n. syn.) and P. strobeli (= P. rufipilis divexa Forel n. syn., = P. nitidula daguerrei Santschi n. syn., = P. perversa Forel n. syn., = P. perversa richteri Forel n. syn., = P. strobeli misera Santschi n. syn.). Finally, six new species are described: P. abakytan n. sp., P. abaticanga n. sp., P. cangussu n. sp., P. curupira n. sp., P. mapinguari n. sp., and P. obapara n. sp.
ABSTRACT
Tetramorium notomelanum sp. n. is described from the Tehuacán Valley, state of Puebla, México. Its distribution and relation with other species of the tortuosum-group is discussed. The new species of Tetramonium is described from workers, and distinguished from others of the group by several characters: i) black coloration of the body; ii) size: T. notomelanum sp. n. is smaller than T. hispidum (Wheeler), T. mexicanum Bolton and T.spinosum (Pergande), but larger than T. bicolorum Vásquez-Bolaños and T. placidum Bolton; iii) length of the hairs of the dorsal of the head are equal to the diameter of eye; iv) the length of the hairs on the scape and tibiae less than the width of the appendage where they are located. This is the second species of the tortuosum group of Tetramorium found in the State of Puebla, and the fourth recorded in Mexico.