Pachycondyla zoro Rakotonirina and Fisher

Rakotonirina, J. C. & Fisher, B. L., 2013, Revision of the Pachycondyla sikorae species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Madagascar, Zootaxa 3683 (4), pp. 447-485 : 480-484

Pachycondyla zoro Rakotonirina and Fisher , sp. nov.

(Figures 21, 22, 67, 68,69, 81)

Holotype worker: Antsiranana, Parc National de Marojejy, Manantenina River, 28.0 km 38° NE Andapa, 8.2 km 333° NNW Manantenina, -14.4367, 49.775, 450 m, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), rainforest, 12-15 Nov 2003 (coll. B.L. Fisher et al.), collection code BLF08722, specimen code CASENT0045620 (CASC).

Paratypes: series of seven workers and one ergatoid queen with same data as holotype but specimens coded as CASENT0045613, CASENT0045615, CASENT0045616, CASENT0045618, CASENT0045619, CASENT0045623, CASENT0045627, CASENT0045614 (BMNH, CASC, MHNG, MCZC, PBZT).

WORKER. Diagnosis: Anterior margin of clypeus medially convex or with median obtuse angle; with head in full-face view, lateral margins before level of anterior margin of eye strongly converging toward the base of mandibles; anterior surface of third abdominal segment straight, without shallow cavity. Posterolateral margins of propodeum and petiole node without succession of sharp teeth or denticles, posterior margin of propodeum bordered with subopaque lamella; in dorsal view, petiole node nearly as long as broad; in lateral view, subpetiolar process with anterior hook-like and posterior subtriangular processes separated by a concavity.

Measurements (8 specimens): HW: 1.22-1.32, HL: 1.33-1.46, CI: 90-94, SL: 1.11-1.17, SI: 87-92, PW: 0.95-1.02, WL: 1.85-2.05, NH: 0.77-0.83, NL: 0.53-0.61, NW: 0.67-0.73, DNI: 115-136, LNI: 135-154.

Description: In full-face view, head subrectangular; longer than broad, with almost straight lateral margins posterior to the level of eye. Anterior to the level of eye, lateral margin curves strongly toward the base of mandibles; posterior margin weakly concave. Frontal lobe narrow, with broadly rounded outer margin. Head dorsally finely reticulate-punctate, with smooth and shiny surface between punctures; side smooth and shiny apart from effaced reticulation and shallow scattered punctures. Eyes medium, their diameter about the same as greatest width of scape. Antennal scape barely extending beyond posterior cephalic margin. Median lobe of clypeus weakly protruding forwards, anterior margin medially convex and sometimes with feeble median notch. Mandible smooth between sparse piligerous punctulae, masticatory margin with 9-12 teeth or denticles.

In dorsal view, metanotal groove obsolete; promesonotum rugulose-punctate with smooth and shiny surface towards midline of mesosoma; propodeal dorsum sparsely punctate. In lateral view, mesopleural suture indistinct, median portion of mesopleuron and metapleuron shining and nearly smooth apart from widely spaced punctures or foveolae, with rugulose sculpture near lateroventral angle; sides of propodeum covered with dense, elongate punctures; posterolateral margin of propodeum bordered with subopaque lamellae. Petiole node in lateral view higher than long, with rugulose surface; anterodorsal angle extending somewhat over anterior face; posterior margin convex; subpetiole with both anterior hook-like and posterior subquadrate processes separated by a concavity. In dorsal view, node as long as broad, with nearly smooth dorsum apart from scattered rugulae and shallow punctures. Shallow cavity absent from anterior surface of first gastral segment. First and second gastral tergites with spaced punctures from which erect hairs arise.

Pilosity consists of golden short erect hairs and abundant pubescence on head and promesonotum; rest of body dorsum with long erect hairs and very little pubescence. Head, mesosoma and petiolar node black; appendages and gaster brown ferruginous.

ERGATOID QUEEN. Measurements (1 specimen): HW: 1.25, HL: 1.28, CI: 98, SL: 1.08, SI: 86, PW: 0.99, WL: 1.91, NH: 0.81, NL: 0.51, NW: 0.79, DNI: 155, LNI: 159. This specimen is very similar to workers due to the absence of wings and thoracic sclerite development. It differs by the presence of one ocellus, the broader head and much more slender and numerous erect hairs on the dorsum of the body. In addition, the petiolar node looks shorter when viewed in profile and much broader than those of workers when in dorsal view.

Distribution and biology: Pachycondyla zoro occupies the lowland rainforests of Marojejy and Ambalagoavy Nord (Ikongo) located in the northeast and southeast of Madagascar respectively (Fig. 81). It has been collected via leaf litter extraction in Marojejy, and from malaise traps in Ambalagoavy.

Additional material examined: Province Antsiranana: PN Marojejy, Manantenina River, 28.0 km 38° NE Andapa, 8.2 km 333° NNW Manantenina, Antsiranana, -14.4367, 49.775, 450 m, rainforest (B.L. Fisher et al.) (CASC); Province Fianarantsoa: F d'Ambalagoavy Nord, Ikongo, Ambatombe, -21.8275, 47.3389, 625 m (R. Harin'Hala & M.E. Irwin) (CASC).

Aknowledgments

We greatly appreciate the help of B. Merz, S. Cover, C. Villemant, and P.S. Ward for providing type material and additional specimens from their collections. We are grateful to the arthropod team at the Madagascar Biodiversity Center for carrying out the ant surveys, laboratory processing, and specimen sorting. The Malagasy Pachycondyla database could not have been refined and made easily available without the gracious management of M. Esposito. The manuscript was greatly improved by comments provided by the reviewers. The present contribution was part of the MSc research of JCR supported by The Lakeside Foundation Funds and McBean Family Fund of the California Academy of Sciences. Additional funding also came from National Science Foundation grants DEB- 0072713, DEB-0344731, and DEB-0842395, awarded to BLF.