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

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

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 ). 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 ). 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 ). 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 ). 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 ). 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 ). 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 ). Petiole. Shiny and finely shagreened; pilosity dense, long, and erect (Fig. 47A, B ). Colour. Reddish brown to brown, lateral sides of mesosoma and legs yellowish brown (Fig. 47A, B ).

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.

Figures

Figure 47. Pheidole rugofitarata sp. nov., dorsal view (A), profile (B), and full-face view (C) of holotype major worker (CASENT 0078206).

Figure 85. Hypostomal teeth. Pheidole madinika sp. nov. (A). P. mahaboensis sp. nov. (B). P. maizina sp. nov. (C). P. makaensis sp. nov. (D). P. makirovana sp. nov. (E). P. manantenensis sp. nov. (F). P. mantadia sp. nov. (G). P. marieannae sp. nov. (H). P. masoala sp. nov. (I). P. mavesatra sp. nov. (J). P. miramila sp. nov. (K). P. moramanaensis sp. nov. (L). P. navoatrensis sp. nov. (M). P. nemoralis Forel (N). P. ocypodea sp. nov. (O). P. parviocula sp. nov. (P). P. petax Forel (Q). P. podargea sp. nov. (R). P. praegrandis sp. nov. (S). P. ranohirensis sp. nov. (T). P. rugocephala sp. nov. (U). P. rugofitarata sp. nov. (V). P. scabrata Forel (W). P. typhlos sp. nov. (X). P. vatovavensis sp. nov. (Y). P. voasara sp. nov. (Z). P. vohemarensis sp. nov. (AA). P. zavamanira sp. nov. (AB).

Figure 88. Distribution. Pheidole petax Forel (A). P. podargea sp. nov. (B). P. praegrandis sp. nov. (C). P. ranohirensis sp. nov. (D). P. rugocephala sp. nov. (E). P. rugofitarata sp. nov. (F). P. scabrata Forel (G). P. typhlos sp. nov. (H). P. vatovavensis sp. nov. (I). P. voasara sp. nov. (J). P. vohemarensis sp. nov. (K). P. zavamanira sp. nov. (L).