Pheidole clara, Salata & Fisher, 2020

Salata, Sebastian & Fisher, Brian L., 2020, The ant genus Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Madagascar-taxonomic revision of the bessonii species-group, Zootaxa 4843 (1), pp. 1-64 : 21-23

Pheidole clara sp. nov.

Figs 12 A–F, 27D, 28D

HOLOTYPE: 1s., Madagascar, Antsiranana, Parc National de Marojejy, Manantenina River , 27.6 km 35° NE Andapa, 9.6 km 327° NNW Manantenina, -14.435 49.76, 775 m, 17-Nov-2003, rainforest, ex dead twig above ground, B. L. Fisher et al. leg. BLF09023, CASENT0494851 ( CASC) . PARATYPES: 2w., 1s., 1q the same data as holotype, CASENT0494852, CASENT0494850, CASENT0494849 ( CASC, MHNG, PBZT) .

Other material. Madagascar. Toamasina: 3w., 2s ., 1q., 5.3 km SSE Ambanizana, Andranobe , -15.67133 49.97395, 425 m, B. L. Fisher et al. leg. ( CASC) .

Geographic range. Madagascar, from Parc National de Marojejy , Antsiranana south to Andranobe, Toamasina.

Diagnosis. Major workers. Head in full-face view sub-rectangular, slightly widening posteriorly, with lateral margins slightly convex; side of head with moderately dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; medial frons with dense costulae; interspaces between costulae smooth to indistinctly punctate; frons laterally with thick and dense rugae; interspaces between rugae distinctly punctate; occipital lobes with weakly developed and sparse rugae; interspaces between rugae punctate; sculpture weakening posteriorly; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; inner hypostomal tooth distinct, large, triangular, and directed posteriorly; outer hypostomal tooth lobe-like, high, and wide, with top arching posterolaterally; median tooth absent; promesonotum short, angular, and moderately low; posterior mesonotum moderately steep; mesonotal process indistinct and tubercle-like; mesosoma punctate; promesonotal dorsum with sculpture reduced and additional transverse rugae; gaster smooth; body orange. Minor workers. Occiput elongated forming short and moderately narrow neck; nuchal collar distinct; head sculpture smooth; anterolateral frons with sparse puncta; scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by three-fifths of its length; promesonotum low, long, and arched; promesonotal groove present; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines small and thin; mesosoma punctate; katepisternum with a smooth notch; body yellow.

Description. Major workers. Measurements (n=3): HL: 1.77–1.9 (1.81); HW: 1.67–1.79 (1.73); SL: 1.01– 1.14 (1.05); EL: 0.22–0.23 (0.23); WL: 1.55–1.59 (1.57); PSL: 0.24–0.27 (0.26); MTL: 1.16–1.24 (1.19); PNW: 0.62–0.66 (0.64); PTW: 0.18–0.2 (0.18); PPW: 0.4–0.44 (0.42); CI: 103.0–105.7 (104.3); SI: 58.1–63.6 (60.7); PSLI: 13.1–15.2 (14.4); PPI: 42.5–46.0 (44.5); PNI: 36.4–37.1 (36.8); MTI: 68.3–69.2 (68.9).

Head. In full-face view sub-rectangular, not widening posteriorly, with lateral sides slightly convex ( Fig. 12B ). In lateral view sub-oval, not depressed posteriorly; ventral and dorsal margins convex; inner hypostomal tooth visible. Side of head with moderately dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; head dorsum with relatively dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity. Medial frons with dense costulae; interspaces between costulae smooth to indistinctly punctate. Frons laterally with thick and dense rugae; interspaces between rugae distinctly punctate. Occipital lobes with weakly developed and sparse rugae; interspaces between rugae punctate; sculpture weakening posteriorly. Gena with dense and moderately thick costulae; interspaces between costulae smooth. Sides posterolateral from eyes with dense but very thin network of rugoreticulae; sculpture weakening posteriorly. Center of clypeus shiny and smooth, lateral sides with distinct rugulae; median notch present, moderately wide and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae present. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; pilosity subdecumbent to erect ( Fig. 12B, D ). Inner hypostomal tooth distinct, large, triangular, and directed posteriorly; outer hypostomal tooth lobe-like, high, and wide,, with top arching posterolaterally; median tooth absent ( Fig. 27D ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and moderately low; posterior mesonotum moderately steep; mesonotal process indistinct and tubercle-like; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove indistinct; propodeal spines moderately long with narrow base and acute top; humeral tubercle weakly produced ( Fig. 12D ). Surface punctate; promesonotal dorsum with reduced puncta and additional transverse rugae. Pilosity dense, long, and erect ( Fig. 12D, F ). Gaster. Shiny and smooth; pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect ( Fig. 12D, F ). Color. Orange, antennae and legs yellow ( Fig. 12D, F ).

Description. Minor workers. Measurements (n=5): HL: 0.75–0.82 (0.78); HW: 0.52–0.59 (0.55); SL: 1.04–1.1 (1.06); EL: 0.14–0.17 (0.16); WL: 1.03–1.12 (1.07); PSL: 0.1–0.13 (0.11); MTL: 0.92–1.03 (0.96); PNW: 0.36–0.4 (0.38); PTW: 0.08–0.11 (0.09); PPW: 0.14–0.17 (0.14); CI: 140.3–145.9 (143.2); SI: 188.4–206.6 (195.5); PSLI: 12.9–15.8 (14.7); PPI: 52.1–77.5 (62.3); PNI: 65.5–72.1 (69.1); MTI: 171.1–177.3 (175.2).

Head. In full-face view oval, posterior region elongated forming short and moderately narrow neck; nuchal collar distinct ( Fig. 12A ). Pilosity relatively sparse, long, subdecumbent to erect. Sculpture shiny and smooth; anterolateral frons with sparse puncta; antennal sockets with few indistinct rugulae that are curved posterolaterally; interspaces between rugulae smooth. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by three-fifths of its length; pilosity dense, subdecumbent to erect ( Fig.12A, C ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, long, and arched; promesonotal groove present; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines small, thin, and triangular ( Fig. 12C ). Sculpture punctate, katepisternum with a smooth notch. Pilosity very dense, long, and erect ( Fig. 12C, E ). Gaster. With sparse and erect pilosity ( Fig. 12C, E ). Color. Yellow ( Fig. 12C, E ).

Biology. The species was collected between 425–775 m elevation, in rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs and dead twigs above the ground.

Comments. Pheidole clara , a species recorded from southeastern Antsiranana and the northernmost part of Toamasina, is most similar to P. mantadioflava , known from the northeastern part of Toamasina. Majors of P. clara differ in the absence of antennal scrobes and the anterior mesonotum being at the same level or lower than the pronotum. In contrast, P. mantadioflava has weakly developed antennal scrobes and its anterior mesonotum is placed slightly higher than the pronotum. Minors of P. clara can be separated by sparse puncta restricted only to anterolateral frons and by their small and thin propodeal spines. Minors of P. mantadioflava have entire frons sparsely punctate and their propodeal spines are small with a wide base.

Etymology. Latin for clear or bright, in reference to the bright body coloration of minor workers.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Pheidole clara, full-face view (A), profile (C), and dorsal view (E) of paratype minor worker (CASENT0494849) and full-face view (B), profile (D), and dorsal view (F) of holotype major worker (CASENT0494851).

FIGURE 27. Major worker, hypostomal tooth. Pheidole antsahabe (A). Pheidole atsirakambiaty (B). Pheidole bessonii (C). Pheidole clara (D). Pheidole decollata (E). Pheidole flammea (F). Pheidole flavodepressa (G). Pheidole grallatrix (H). Pheidole madecassa (I). Pheidole mantadioflava (J). Pheidole maro (K). Pheidole oswaldi (L). Pheidole ovalinoda (M). Pheidole similis (N). Pheidole tenebrovulgaris (O). Pheidole uranus (P). Pheidole voreios (Q). Pheidole zirafy (R).