Pheidole foveolata Eguchi, 2006

Eguchi, Katsuyuki, 2008, A revision of Northern Vietnamese species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae), Zootaxa 1902 (1), pp. 1-118 : 34-37

Pheidole foveolata Eguchi

Figs. 8a–g

Pheidole foveolata Eguchi, 2006: 121–123 . Holotype: major, “Y Linh Ho (a small fragment of forest), ca. 1100 m alt., Sa Pa , Lao Cai, Vietnam, Eg 02-VN-210”, IEBR, examined; paratypes: 19 majors, 21 minors & 1 dealate queen, same data as holotype, IEBR, MHNG, MCZC, BMNH, FSKU & ACEG, examined.

Pheidole sp. eg-163. Bui & Eguchi 2003: 9 (checklist).

Other material examined: Vietnam: Lao Cai: Y Linh Ho (a small fragment of forest), 1100 m alt., Sa Pa [Eg02-VN-220, -227]. Eguchi’s informal species code “ Pheidole sp. eg-163” has been applied to these specimens .

Worker measurements & indices: Major (data from the original description). — HL 0.93–0.97 mm, HW 0.91–0.97 mm, CI 98–101, SL 0.46–0.49 mm, SI 48–54, FL 0.56–0.58 mm, FI 60–62.

Minor (data from the original description). — HL 0.47–0.51 mm; HW 0.42–0.46 mm, CI 89–94, SL 0.42– 0.45 mm, SI 98–102, FL 0.42–0.47 mm, FI 100–102.

Worker description

Major. — Head in lateral view very weakly impressed on vertex; frons longitudinally rugose; vertex and dorsal and lateral faces of vertexal lobe weakly reticulate, with enclosures punctured; frontal carina absent, or present just as rugula(e); antennal scrobe absent; clypeus without a median longitudinal carina; median, submedian and lateral processes of hypostoma conspicuous; antenna with a 3-segmented club; maximal diameter of eye longer than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome lacking a prominence/mound on its posterior slope; humerus weakly produced laterad; the dome at the humeri as broad as at the bottom, or a little broader at the bottom. Petiole much longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole not massive. First gastral tergite largely smooth and shining except a weakly punctured area around its articulation with postpetiole.

Minor. — Head puncutured dorsally and laterally; preoccipital carina absent dorsally; median part of clypeus smooth and shining, usually with a weak or very weak median longitudinal carina; antenna with a 3-segmented club; scape exceeding posterior margin of head by 0.5–1.5× length of antennal segment II; maximal diameter of eye a little longer than antennal segment X. Mesosoma punctured well dorsally and laterally; promesonotal dome in lateral view lacking a prominence/mound on its posterior slope; humerus in dorsaloblique view not or hardly produced; propodeal spine much reduced to a tiny dent (at most as long as maximal diameter of propodeal spiracle). Petiole much longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole not massive.

Recognition: This species is characterized among Indo-Chinese species by the following characteristics: in the minor dorsal and lateral faces of head and mesosoma punctured; in the minor median part of clypeus smooth and shining; in the major hypostoma in the middle with a conspicuous median process and a pair of conspicuous submedian processes; in the major and minor promesonotal dome lacking a conspicuous prominence/mound on its posterior slope; in the minor propodeal spine much reduced to a small dent.

It is similar to Pheidole mus Forel and P. sagei Forel (the type material of both species housed in MHNG was examined) and P.parva Mayr (the type material housed in NHMW was examined) but distinguished from the latter three by the following characteristics: propodeal spine is rather developed in the minor of the latter three; the minor of P.mus having median portion of clypeus which is punctured weakly or dimly and not shining.

Distribution & bionomics: Known from N. Vietnam. This species inhabits forest edges and nests in the soil (Eguchi 2005). Majors serve as repletes (e.g., the type series).

Figures

FIGURE 8a–d, Pheidole foveolata, major [Eg02-VN-210] — a, paratype, head in full-face view; b, holotype, head in lateral view; c, paratype, mesosoma and waist in dorsal view; d, paratype, mesosoma and waist in lateral view.