Pheidole Smith, 1874: 7 Ogata 1982: 196 Bui & Eguchi 2003: 9 Pheidole rhombinoda Mayr, 1879: 678 noda Santschi, 1937b: 371 noda Yasumatsu, 1962: 96 noda Pheidole rhombinoda var. stella Forel, 1911b: 380 Wheeler 1929a: 3 noda Pheidole rhombinoda var. formosensis Forel, 1913b: 193 Santschi 1937b: 370 noda Pheidole rhombinoda var. taprobanae Forel, 1902: 178 Forel 1913a: 662 rhombinoda Santschi 1937b: 371 noda Bolton 1995: 326 Smith 1858: 175 Pheidole var. flebilis Santschi, 1937b: 370 Pheidole st. rhombinoda var. gratiosa Santschi, 1937b: 371 Pheidole treubi Forel, 1905: 19 Eguchi 2001a: 18 noda A revision of Northern Vietnamese species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) Eguchi, Katsuyuki Zootaxa 2008 2008-10-15 1902 1 1 118 4FYGY F. Smith F. Smith [151,436,775,801] Insecta Formicidae Pheidole Animalia Hymenoptera 58 59 Arthropoda species noda   Figs. 16a–g, 32c, 32d     PheidolenodusF.  Smith, 1874: 7.  Ogata 1982: 196(description of male),  Bui & Eguchi 2003: 9(checklist), Eguchi 2004b(ecological study), Eguchi, Bui et al. 2005: 89 (checklist).  Syntype(s): major, Hyogo, Japan, not examined.     Pheidole rhombinoda Mayr, 1879: 678. Wheeler 1929: 3 (subspecies of  noda),  Santschi, 1937b: 371(subspecies of  noda),  Yasumatsu, 1962: 96(junior synonym of  noda).  Syntype: 1 major, “Calcutta Sm. 73” [ India], NHMW, examined.     Pheidole rhombinodavar. stella Forel, 1911b: 380.  Wheeler 1929a: 3(subspecies of  noda). Syn.n. Syntypes: 2 majors, “ Sikkim 4000 ft(Bingham)” [ Sikkim, Himalaya, 1200 malt., India], MHNG, examined, 1 (intact major) of the two syntypemajors designated here as the  lectotype[ Fig. 32c, 32d].     Pheidole rhombinodavar. formosensis Forel, 1913b: 193.  Santschi 1937b: 370(stirps of  noda). Syn.n. Syntypes: 3 majors, “Kankau Erde V.12 No 721” [Kankau, Taiwan], MHNG, examined; 3 minors, “Kankau No 83”, MHNG, examined; 2 queens, “Taihorin No. 41” [Taihorin, Taiwan], MHNG, examined; 3 males, “Taihorin No 28”, MHNG, examined.     Pheidole rhombinodavar. taprobanae Forel, 1902: 178.  Forel 1913a: 662(race/stirps of  rhombinoda),  Santschi 1937b: 371(stirps of  noda),  Bolton 1995: 326, 331 (unsolved junior primary homonym of taprobanaeF.  Smith 1858: 175). Syn.n. Syntypes: 2 majors & 3 minors, “ Ceylon(Yerbury) 10”, MNHG, examined.    Pheidolenodus   var. flebilis Santschi, 1937b: 370. Syn.n. Syntypes: 1 major & 3 minors, “Hori Form K Sato” [Hori, Taiwan], NHMB, examined.    Pheidolenodus  st. rhombinodavar. gratiosa Santschi, 1937b: 371, unavailable name. Material referable to this form: 1 major & 1 minor, “Indes Kanara Ritken.” [Kanara, India], NHMB, examined.     Pheidole treubi Forel, 1905: 19.  Eguchi 2001a: 18( lectotypedesignation, junior synonym of  noda). Lectotype: major, Buitenzorg [Bogor, Java], MHNG, examined; paralectotype(s): queen(s) from the same locality (according to the original description), not examined.   Other material examined: Mainland Japan: Kagoshima: Toso, Kagoshima-shi [ T. Akiyama’scolony: 021102-1], Shiroyama, Kagoshima-shi [Eg02-JPN-01, -02, -03, -04], Eboshi-dake Nature Trail,  100 malt., Hirakawa, Kagoshima-shi [Eg02-JPN-22], Hirakawa, Kagoshima-shi [Eg02-JPN-24]. S. China: Guangxi: new campus of Guangxi Normal Univ., Guilin [Eg00-GNGX-02, -03], Nonggang& Longhu, Longhu [ J. Fellowes], Dayaoshan N.R., Jinxiu [ J. Fellowes], Gao Zhai,  300 malt., Xing An [Eg00-GNGX-013, -017, -018, - 019]; Guangdong: Dawuling N.R., Maoming [ J. Fellowes], Nankunshan N.R., Summit Trail, Longmen [ J. Fellowes], Yangchun Baiyong N.R., Yangchun [ J. Fellowes]; Hong Kong: Victoria Park, Hong KongI. [Eg99-HK-018, -20, -21, -23, -25, -29, -30], Tai Lung Farm, Sheung Shui, New Territory [Eg99-HK-39, -40]. Taiwan: Nantou: Lienhuachi,  600 malt. [ Sk. Yamane]. Vietnam: Lao Cai: Sa Pa [ K. Eguchi], Y Linh Ho(small fragment of forest),  1100 malt., Sa Pa [Eg02-VN-207, -228], Cat Cat (along trail to Fansipan),  1300– 1400 malt., Sa Pa [Eg02-VN-255], Sa Seng (small fragment of limestone forest), Sa Pa [Eg02-VN-283]; Bac Kan: Ba Be N.P.(22°24–25’N, 105°37–38’E), <  260 malt. [Eg04-VN-150]; Quang Ninh: Chua Yen Tu ( 21°09’N, 106°43’E),  520–725 malt. [Eg04-VN-004]; Vinh Phuc: Tam Dao N.P.,  800–900 malt. [Eg99-VN- 033, -039, -40], Tam Dao N.P.,  900 malt. [VN98-SKY-03; Eg99-VN-067], Tam Dao N.P.,  900–1100 malt. [Eg99-VN-058], Tam Dao N.P.,  1240 malt. [ VN98-SKY-08]; Ha Tay (misspelled as Ha Tai): Ba Vi N.P.,  400 malt. [Eg99-VN-079], Ba Vi N.P.,  400–800 malt. [Eg99-VN-123]; Ninh Binh: Cuc Phuong N.P.[Eg08vi05- 02]. Indonesia: C. Java: Kaliadem,  800–1000 malt., G. Merapi[JV02/03-SKY-42].   Worker measurements & indices:Major (n=5). — HL 1.69–1.91 mm; HW 1.58–1.82 mm; CI 93–98; SL 1.00– 1.12 mm; SI 56–65; FL 1.46–1.62 mm; FI 84–94. Minor (n=5). — HL 0.71–0.82 mm; HW 0.57–0.66 mm; CI 80–82; SL 0.91–1.07 mm; SI 157–162; FL 1.03–1.22 mm; FI 177–185.  Worker description Major. — Head in lateral view not or hardly impressed on vertex, in full-face view relatively broadly concave posteriorly; dorsum of head sparsely bearing standing hairs which are much longer and distinctly thicker than many short decumbent-subdecumbent background hairs; frons and anterior part of vertex rugose longitudinally; posterior part of vertex and dorsal and lateral faces of vertexal lobe reticulate or rugoso-reticulate; frontal carina conspicuous; antennal scrobe inconspicuous; clypeus with a conspicuous median longitudinal carina; hypostoma without median and submedian processes, but with a pair of conspicuous lateral processes; antenna with a 3-segmented club; maximal diameter of eye as long as or longer than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome sparsely with long and thick standing hairs, in dorsal view rugose or rugoso-reticulate transversely, in lateral view with a conspicuous prominence on its posterior slope; humerus not or hardly produced laterad; the dome at the humeri narrower than at the bottom. Petiole shorter than postpetiole (excluding helcium); anterolateral part of petioler peduncle in dorsal view somewhat produced laterad; subpetiolar process absent, or at most present as a longitudinal carina; postpetiole massive. First gastral tergite weakly rugoso-punctured in its anterior 1/3 to 1/2, and shagreened to smooth in the remainder part. Minor. — Frons and vertex smooth, or rarely shagreened; area between antennal insertion and eye often rugose sparsely and weakly, or rugoso-punctate weakly; preoccipital carina conspicuous dorsally and laterally; median part of clypeus smooth, usually (but not always) with a weak median longitudinal carina; antenna with a 3-segmented club; scape extending far beyond posterolateral margin of head; maximal diameter of eye shorter than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome largely smooth, in lateral view with a conspicuous mound on its posterior slope; humerus of the dome in dorso-oblique view not produced/raised; mesopleuron, metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum weakly or dimly punctured at least partly; propodeal spine small, or sometimes reduced to a tiny dent. Petiole shorter than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole massive.  Recognition:The syntypemajor of  P. rhombinodaMayragrees well with majors of colony Eg99-HK-40, with only a small difference: the former completely lacks a subpetiolar process but the latter has a subpetiolar process present as a very low carina. I follows the previous view ( Yasumatsu 1962) that  P. rhombinodais a junior synonym of  P. noda. The lectotypeand a paralectotypemajor of  P. rhombinoda stellaagree well with majors of S. Chinese populations (e.g., Eg99-HK-25), with only the following small differences: the former has larger bodies, heads covered with background hairs which are decumbent-subdecumbent but not appressed, and petioles with a well-developed keel ventrally. Despite such differences I treated  Pheidole rhombinoda stellaas a junior synonym of  Pheidole noda.   FIGURE 16a–d,  Pheidole noda, major [Eg99-VN-040] — a, head in full-face view; b, head in lateral view; c, mesosoma and waist in dorsal view; d, mesosoma and waist in lateral view.   FIGURE 16e–g,  Pheidole noda, minor [Eg99-VN-040] — e, head in full-face view; f, mesosoma and waist in dorsal view; g, mesosoma and waist in lateral view. Major and minor referable to “  P. nodast. rhombinodavar. gratiosa” (unavailable name) agree with those of S. Chinese populations (e.g., Eg99-HK-40), with the following small diferences: in “ gratiosa” major’s head in full-face view is more narrowly concave posteriorly; standing hairs on major’s head are shorter; body color of the major and minor is lighter. I conclude that “ gratiosa” is just a local forms of  P. noda.   Pheidole nodais distinguished among Indo-Chinese species by the combination of the following characteristics: in the major head in full-face view relatively broadly and deeply concave posteriorly; in the major dorsum of head sparsely bearing standing hairs which are much longer and distinctly thicker than background hairs; in the major posterior part of vertex and dorsal and lateral faces of vertexal lobe rugoso-reticulate; in the major subpetiolar process absent or at most present as a low carina; in the major and minor postpetiole massive.  Pheidole tumidais similar to  P. noda. At present it is impossible to separate the two by minor’s morphology. However, the major of  P. tumidahas a very large lobate subpetiolar process.   Distribution & bionomics:Widely distributed in the Manchurian subregion and Oriental region. This species occurs from open lands to relatively developed forests, and nests in the soil, under shelters on the ground, and in rotting logs. According to Eguchi (2004b)workers gather seeds of sesame and amaranthus put on the ground in S. Japan. Majors serve as repletes (e.g., Eg99-HK-21, Eg99-VN-058). In N. Vietnamthis species is one of the prey of  Aenictus dentatusForel(Eg04-VN-004, det. Sk. Yamane, 2005). Japan Hyogo 58 59 1 Hyogo syntype NHMW India India 58 59 1 syntype NHMB Taiwan Taiwan 58 59 1 syntype T. Akiyama's & Nonggang & Longhu & J. Fellowes & Dayaoshan N. R. & Dawuling N. R. & Nankunshan N. R. & Yangchun Baiyong N. R. & Sk. Yamane & K. Eguchi & Y Linh Ho & Ba Be N. P. & Tam Dao N. P. & Ba Vi N. P. & Cuc Phuong N. P. & G. Merapi China 100 59 60 21.15 Lao Cai 1265 106.71667 58 59 1 Lao Cai