Pachycondyla nosy 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 : 471-472

Pachycondyla nosy Rakotonirina and Fisher , sp. nov.

(Figures 5, 15, 52, 53, 54, 76)

Holotype worker: Madagascar, Antsiranana, Makirovana Forest, -14.1707, 49.9541, 415 m, 28 Apr 2011, ex rotten log (B.L. Fisher et al.) collection code: BLF26582, specimen code: CASENT0231239 (CASC).

WORKER. Diagnosis: Anterior margin of clypeus wide and straight, weakly medially notched; eyes medium, with 14 ommatidia; metanotal groove an incomplete dotted line; numerous slender erect hairs lacking and pubescence reduced from posterior face of petiole node; anterior surface of third abdominal segment straight, not forming a shallow impression; antennal scape and outer surface of each tibia covered with long, erect hairs.

Measurements (1 specimen): HW: 1.44, HL: 1.62, CI: 89, SL: 1.25, SI: 87, PW: 1.09, WL: 2.34, NH: 0.76, NL: 0.58, NW: 0.80, DNI: 138, LNI: 131.

Description: Head rectangular, broadest at midlength; posterior cephalic margin more or less straight. Head dorsum densely and finely reticulate-punctate; lateral section generally punctate and sparsely punctulate toward lateroventral angle. Eyes medium, with 14 ommatidia, and located at anterior fourth of head when viewed from the front. Antennal scape short, not reaching posterior cephalic margin; scape with long, erect hairs roughly equal in length to its maximum diameter. Anterior clypeal margin broadly straight, with weak median notch. Mandibles sparsely punctate with a smooth and shiny surface.

With mesosoma in dorsal view, metanotal groove a simple, shallowly dotted line; in lateral view, dorsal outline roughly a continuous line; mesopleural suture obsolete; posterior margin of propodeum narrowly lamellate and projecting into a blunt angle near midlength. In dorsal view, promesonotum with reticulate-punctulate sculpture close to dorsolateral angles and punctate towards the midline; propodeum punctulate. Petiole nodiform, with convex posterior margin in lateral view; in dorsal view, posterior margin slightly convex, anterior margin broadly rounded; sculpture coarsely punctate. Anterior face of first gastral segment straight, not forming a shallow cavity. First two gastral tergites rugulose punctate, with smooth and shiny spaces between coarse punctures.

Erect standing hairs present; pubescence abundant on head dorsum and promesonotum and sparse on the rest of body dorsum. Body color dark red, with brown tip of gaster and appendages.

QUEEN. Measurements (2 specimens): HW: 1.65-1.68, HL: 1.74-1.75, CI: 95-96, SL: 1.35-1.36, SI: 80- 83, PW: 1.35-1.38, WL: 2.56, NH: 0.80-0.88, NL: 0.55-0.60, NW: 0.86-0.89, DNI: 147-155, LNI: 144-146. Two winged queens were captured using malaise traps from the montane humid forests in the north and in the central eastern Madagascar. They have the usual characteristics of alate queens, including three ocelli, developed thoracic sclerites, more abundant standing slender hairs; much broader head, and a wider, more anteroposteriorly flattened petiolar node.

Distribution and biology: Pachycondyla nosy is known from northeastern Madagascar, where a colony nest was found in a rotten log in Makirovana Forest. The species also occurs in the disjunct montane rainforests of the PN Montagne d’Ambre and the PN Andasibe (Fig. 76), where two alate queens were recorded from malaise traps.

Additional material examined: Province Antsiranana: PN Montagne d'Ambre [Petit Lac road], 1125 m, montane rainforest (R. Harin'Hala) (CASC); Province Toamasina: 7 km SE PN Andasibe Headquarters, 1050 m, montane rainforest (R. Harin'Hala) (CASC).