Pheidole rugofitarata, Salata & Fisher, 2020

Salata, Sebastian & Fisher, Brian L., 2020, Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar - an introduction and a taxonomic revision of eleven species groups, ZooKeys 905, pp. 1-235 : 1

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.905.39592

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F4C766E4-633A-4103-9FFD-E952718F41FB

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/273DEBF3-9074-43F2-BE54-06465A5D17E3

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:273DEBF3-9074-43F2-BE54-06465A5D17E3

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Pheidole rugofitarata
status

sp. nov.

Pheidole rugofitarata sp. nov. Figs 47A-C View Figure 47 , 85V View Figure 85 , 88F View Figure 88

Type material.

Holotype. Madagascar. •1 major worker; Mahajanga; Parc National Tsingy de Bemaraha, 2.5 km 62°ENE Bekopaka, Ankidrodroa River; -19.13222, 44.81467; alt. 100 m; 11 Nov 2001; Fisher et al. leg.; BLF04341, CASENT0078206 (CASC). Paratype. Madagascar. •1s.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0078208 (CASC).

Other material.

Madagascar. - Mahajanga: •2s.; Forêt Ambohimanga, 26.1 km 314° Mampikony; -15.96267, 47.43817; alt. 250 m; 13 Dec 2004; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0054800, CASENT0055004 (CASC). •2s.; Forêt de Tsimembo, 11.0 km 346°NNW Soatana; -18.99528, 44.4435; alt. 50 m; 21 Nov 2001; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0483554, CASENT0483640 (CASC). •1s.; Parc National d’Ankarafantsika, Ampijoroa Station Forestière, 5.4 km 331°NW Andranofasika; -16.29889, 46.813; alt. 70 m; 26 Mar 2001; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0468979 (CASC). •3s.; Parc National d’Ankarafantsika, Forêt de Tsimaloto, 18.3 km 46°NE de Tsaramandroso; -16.22806, 47.14361; alt. 135 m; 2 Apr 2001; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0431979, CASENT0432158, CASENT0432186 (CASC). •1s.; Parc National de Baie de Baly, 12.4 km 337°NNW Soalala; -16.01, 45.265; alt. 10 m; 26 Nov 2002; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0025410 (CASC). •5s.; Parc National de Namoroka, 16.9 km 317°NW Vilanandro; -16.40667, 45.31; alt. 100 m; 12 Nov 2002; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0038862, CASENT0023652, CASENT0023665, CASENT0023667, CASENT0493106 (CASC). •2s.; Parc National de Namoroka, 9.8 km 300°WNW Vilanandro; -16.46667, 45.35; alt. 140 m; 4 Nov 2002; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0032768, CASENT0492055 (CASC). •4s.; Parc National Tsingy de Bemaraha, 3.4 km 93°E Bekopaka, Tombeau Vazimba; -19.14194, 44.828; alt. 50 m; 6 Nov 2001; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0078127, CASENT0477444, CASENT0477453, CASENT0477482 (CASC). •4s.; Réserve d’Ankoririka, 10.6 km 13°NE de Tsaramandroso; -16.26722, 47.04861; alt. 210 m; 9 Apr 2001; Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0471030, CASENT0471209, CASENT0484762 (CASC).

Diagnosis.

Major workers. Head in full-face view elongated; sides of the head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; occipital lobes indistinctly foveolate, with thick, sparse, short, transverse, and sometimes arcuate rugae; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth wider and higher than inner hypostomal teeth, lobe-like.

Description.

Major workers. Measurements (N = 10): HL: 1.29-1.41 (1.36); HW: 1.05-1.17 (1.12); SL: 0.48-0.53 (0.5); EL: 0.14-0.17 (0.15); WL: 0.95-1.02 (0.99); PSL: 0.17-0.21 (0.18); MTL: 0.54-0.57 (0.55); PNW: 0.58-0.68 (0.62); PTW: 0.14-0.17 (0.16); PPW: 0.38-0.47 (0.43); CI: 81.2-85.8 (82.9); SI: 41.8-49.0 (44.3); PSLI: 12.2-15.2 (13.5); PPI: 34.0-42.1 (37.3); PNI: 53.1-59.0 (55.3); MTI: 46.9 -52.5 (49.1). Head. In full-face view longitudinal, longer than wide, anterior of eyes straight, posterior of eyes slightly convex, occipital margin of lobes straight, inclining toward centre (Fig. 47C View Figure 47 ). In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; dorsal face not depressed posteriorly; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; whole head with moderately dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae; scrobe surface shiny, with moderately dense, longitudinal rugae, interspaces superficially foveolate. Occipital lobes shiny, indistinctly foveolate, with thick, sparse, short, transverse and sometimes arcuate rugae; frons with moderately dense, thick, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth and indistinctly foveolate on the posterior part; genae shiny, with dense, thin, longitudinal rugulae and smooth notch in the centre; malar area with thick, longitudinal, moderately sparse rugae, interspaces smooth. Centre of clypeus shiny and smooth, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch present, wide and shallow; median longitudinal carina absent; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, not reaching the midlength of head; pilosity suberect to erect (Fig. 47B, C View Figure 47 ). Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth wider and higher than inner hypostomal teeth, lobe-like (Fig. 85V View Figure 85 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum relatively low and arched, posterior mesonotum relatively steep, with tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove indistinct; propodeal spines moderately long, triangular, with sharp apex and wide base; humeral area laterally weakly produced (Fig. 47B View Figure 47 ). Surface finely foveolate with additional irregular, thin, and sparse rugoreticulation; dorsal surface of promesonotum with fading foveolae and thin, sparse, and transverse rugulae; katepisternum with reduced sculpture. Pilosity moderately dense, very long and erect (Fig. 47A, B View Figure 47 ). Petiole. Shiny; peduncle moderately long, finely foveolate, with indistinct horizontal lobes on its basal part; node smooth, relatively high, triangular, with rounded apex, in rear view node slightly convex; pilosity long and erect (Fig. 47A, B View Figure 47 ). Postpetiole. Shiny and finely shagreened, dorsum with fading sculpture; in dorsal view sides with moderately short, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity long and erect (Fig. 47A, B View Figure 47 ). Petiole. Shiny and finely shagreened; pilosity dense, long, and erect (Fig. 47A, B View Figure 47 ). Colour. Reddish brown to brown, lateral sides of mesosoma and legs yellowish brown (Fig. 47A, B View Figure 47 ).

Minor workers. Unknown.

Etymology.

Similar to P. fitarata , but with more distinct head sculpture in major workers.

Biology.

The species was collected between 10-250 m in elevation, in rainforest and tropical dry forest. Nests were located in rotten logs.

Comments.

Major workers. Pheidole rugofitarata sp. nov. is most similar to P. fitarata sp. nov. and differs from it in presence of distinct and never-interrupted longitudinal rugae on frons and antennal scrobes, rugae on frons connected with rugae on occipital lobes, never entirely smooth genae, and lobe-like outer hypostomal teeth.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pheidole