Pheidole manantenensis, 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/2A00A2C0-FA00-48C1-AEFB-847A94ABE490

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:2A00A2C0-FA00-48C1-AEFB-847A94ABE490

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Pheidole manantenensis
status

sp. nov.

Pheidole manantenensis sp. nov. Figs 37A-F View Figure 37 , 85F View Figure 85 , 87J View Figure 87

Type material.

Holotype. Madagascar. •1 major worker; Antsiranana; Parc National de Marojejy, Manantenina River, 27.6 km 35°NE Andapa, 9.6 km 327°NNW Manantenina; -14.435, 49.76; alt. 775 m; 12 Dec 2005; Fisher et al. leg.; BLF13478, CASENT0068456 (CASC). Paratypes. Madagascar. •1w., 1q.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0068457, CASENT0923218 (CASC).

Other material.

Madagascar. - Antsiranana: •2w.; Makirovana Forest; -14.104, 50.03574; alt. 225 m; 4 May 2011; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0230806, CASENT0230809 (CASC). •1w.; Makirovana Forest; -14.16044, 49.95216; alt. 550 m; 1 May 2011; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0231430 (CASC). •4w.; Makirovana Forest; -14.16666, 49.95; alt. 715 m; 1 May 2011; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0243103, CASENT0243118, CASENT0243120, CASENT0243129 (CASC). - Toamasina: •1w., 1s.; Montagne d’Akirindro 7.6 km 341°NNW Ambinanitelo; -15.28833, 49.54833; alt. 600 m; 17 Mar 2003; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0038921, CASENT0039038 (CASC).

Diagnosis.

Head in full-face view cordate, widened posteriorly; sides of the head with moderately dense, short, suberect to erect pilosity; antennal scrobes present, weakly impressed, and indistinctly delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae; scrobe surface foveolate, with indistinct, thick, moderately sparse, irregular rugae; propodeal spines long (PSL: 0.2-0.26 (0.24)); gaster shagreened; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, but thinner and with wider base, lobe-like. Minor workers. Head and mesosoma foveolate; propodeal spines long (PSL: 0.14-0.17 (0.15)); promesonotum low, convex, short, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum.

Description.

Major workers. Measurements (N = 10): HL: 0.96-1.13 (1.07); HW: 0.95-1.15 (1.07); SL: 0.52-0.58 (0.55); EL: 0.1-0.12 (0.12); WL: 0.79-0.94 (0.88); PSL: 0.2-0.26 (0.24); MTL: 0.49-0.57 (0.52); PNW: 0.45-0.54 (0.51); PTW: 0.12-0.15 (0.14); PPW: 0.33-0.44 (0.4); CI: 98.2-102.5 (100.5); SI: 48.3-54.7 (51.1); PSLI: 20.0-24.5 (22.1); PPI: 31.9-38.2 (34.8); PNI: 45.6-48.9 (47.1); MTI: 45.6-51.3 (48.2). Head. In full-face view cordate, slightly longer than wide, anterior of eyes slightly convex, posterior of eyes convex, occipital margins of lobes convex (Fig. 37B View Figure 37 ). 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, short, suberect to erect pilosity; whole head with moderately dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes impressed and delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae; scrobe surface foveolate, with indistinct, thick, moderately sparse, irregular rugae. Occipital lobes shiny, foveolate, with additional thick, sparse, irregular rugae, rugae weakening posteriorly; frons with moderately sparse, thick, longitudinal rugae, on the posterior part rugae longitudinal to irregular, interspaces superficially foveolate; genae foveolate, with additional, indistinct, and irregular rugulae; malar area with thick, sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to indistinctly rugulose. Centre of clypeus shiny and with indistinct, short rugulae, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch present, moderately wide, and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae present. Scape, when laid back, slightly exceeding the midlength of head; pilosity suberect to erect (Fig. 37B, D View Figure 37 ). Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, but thinner and with wider base, lobe-like (Fig. 85F View Figure 85 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low and arched, dorsal mesonotum slightly concave, posterior mesonotum relatively steep, with small tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines long, triangular, thin, with sharp apex and relatively narrow base; humeral area laterally weakly produced (Fig. 37D View Figure 37 ). Surface foveolate, with additional sparse and indistinct rugoreticulation; dorsoventral propodeum with fading sculpture. Pilosity sparse, long, erect (Fig. 37D, F View Figure 37 ). Petiole. Shiny; peduncle moderately long, foveolate, with distinct, short horizontal lobes on its basal part; node relatively high, triangular, with rounded apex, in rear view node slightly convex; pilosity moderately sparse and erect (Fig. 37D, F View Figure 37 ). Postpetiole. Shiny and foveolate; in dorsal view sides with moderately long, wide, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity moderately long, and erect (Fig. 37D, F View Figure 37 ). Petiole. Shiny and shagreened; pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect (Fig. 37D, F View Figure 37 ). Colour. Brown to dark brown; legs yellow; malar area brighter that the rest of the head (Fig. 37D, F View Figure 37 ).

Minor workers. Measurements (N = 10): HL: 0.47-0.51 (0.49); HW: 0.41-0.46 (0.44); SL: 0.45-0.54 (0.49); EL: 0.08-0.11 (0.09); WL: 0.58-0.64 (0.62); PSL: 0.14-0.17 (0.15); MTL: 0.35-0.38 (0.37); PNW: 0.28-0.32 (0.31); PTW: 0.06-0.08 (0.07); PPW: 0.1-0.13 (0.11); CI: 85.2-93.0 (88.9); SI: 105.1-119.7 (111.8); PSLI: 29.2-34.3 (31.5); PPI: 60.0-73.2 (65.8); PNI: 67.5-74.1 (70.7); MTI: 79.8-88.6 (84.0). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct (Fig. 37A View Figure 37 ). Pilosity moderately dense, long, suberect. Head foveolate; genae with fading sculpture. Clypeus foveolate; median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length; pilosity erect (Fig. 37A, C View Figure 37 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, convex, short, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove present; propodeal spines long, triangular, with acute apex and narrow base (Fig. 37C View Figure 37 ). Sculpture foveolate. Pilosity moderately sparse, short, and erect (Fig. 37C, E View Figure 37 ). Petiole. Peduncle moderately short and thin; with few short, erect setae (Fig. 37C, E View Figure 37 ). Postpetiole. Short, low, and convex; with few short, erect setae (Fig. 37C, E View Figure 37 ). Petiole. With sparse, erect pilosity (Fig. 37C, E View Figure 37 ). Colour. Dark yellow (Fig. 37C, E View Figure 37 ).

Etymology.

From the type locality.

Biology.

The species was collected between 225-775 m in elevation, in rainforest. Nest was located in the petiole of Melastomataceae .

Comments.

Pheidole manantenensis sp. nov. is most similar to P. vohemarensis sp. nov. Majors workers. It differs from P. vohemarensis sp. nov. in presence of irregular rugae on antennal scrobes, frons with foveolae, lower promesonotum, and petiolar peduncle with short horizontal lobes on its basal part. Minor workers. It differs from P. vohemarensis sp. nov. in promesonotum with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum, and foveolate katepisternum and mesonotum.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pheidole