Pheidole flammea, 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 : 28-30

Pheidole flammea sp. nov.

Figs 14 A–F, 27F, 28F

HOLOTYPE: 1s., Madagascar, Antsiranana, Galoko chain, Mont Galoko , -13.58487 48.71818, 520 m, 17-Feb- 2013, rainforest, ex rotten log, B. L. Fisher et al. leg. BLF30615, CASENT0923251 ( CASC) . PARATYPES: 1w., 1q., the same data as holotype, CASENT0298332, CASENT0298333 ( CASC, MHNG) .

Geographic range. Madagascar, Antsiranana, Mont Galoko.

Diagnosis. Major workers. Head in full-face view sub-rectangular, not widening posteriorly, with lateral margins slightly convex; side of head with moderately dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; medial frons with sparse costulae; interspaces between costulae smooth; frons laterally with thick and dense rugae; interspaces between rugae smooth to indistinctly rugulate; occipital lobes with thinner rugae; interspaces between rugae smooth; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; inner hypostomal tooth small, bulge-like, and arching posteroventrally; 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 distinct and tubercle-like; mesosoma microreticulate; promesonotal dorsum with reduced microreticulae and additional transverse rugae; lateral pronotum with smooth notch; katepisternum and lateral sides of propodeum with additional rugae; gaster indistinctly shagreened; body brown. Minor workers. Occiput elongated forming short and moderately narrow neck; nuchal collar distinct; head sculpture smooth; 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 moderately large and thin; pronotum, mesonotum, and dorsal propodeum smooth; anepisternum, katepisternum, and lateral sides of propodeum with sparse puncta and rugae; body brown.

Description. Major workers. Measurements (n=1): HL: 1.65; HW: 1.5; SL: 1.19; EL: 0.18; WL: 1.45; PSL: 0.3; MTL: 1.21; PNW: 0.56; PTW: 0.18; PPW: 0.46; CI: 110.7; SI: 79.7; PSLI: 17.9; PPI: 38.8; PNI: 37.6; MTI: 81.1.

Head. In full-face view sub-rectangular, not widening posteriorly with lateral sides slightly convex ( Fig. 14B ). 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, decumbent to erect pilosity. Medial frons with sparse costulae; interspaces between costulae smooth. Frons laterally with thick and dense rugae; interspaces between rugae smooth to indistinctly rugulate. Occipital lobes with thinner rugae; interspaces between rugae smooth. Gena with sparse 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. 14B, D ). Inner hypostomal tooth small, bulge-like, and arching posteroventrally; outer hypostomal tooth lobe-like, high, and wide, with top arching posterolaterally; median tooth absent ( Fig. 27F ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and moderately low; posterior mesonotum moderately steep; mesonotal process distinct and tuberclelike; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines long with narrow base and acute top; humeral tubercle weakly produced ( Fig. 14D ). Surface shiny and microreticulate; promesonotal dorsum with reduced microreticulae and additional transverse rugae; lateral pronotum with smooth notch; katepisternum and lateral sides of propodeum with additional rugae. Pilosity dense, long, and erect ( Fig. 14D, F ). Gaster. Shiny and indistinctly shagreened; pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect (Fig. D, F). Color. Brown, antenna, mandibles and legs yellowish ( Fig. 14D, F ).

Description. Minor workers. Measurements (n=1): HL: 0.79; HW: 0.49; SL: 1.17; EL: 0.13; WL: 1.03; PSL: 0.14; MTL: 1.03; PNW: 0.36; PTW: 0.08; PPW: 0.13; CI: 161.7; SI: 238.3; PSLI: 17.1; PPI: 60.3; PNI: 73.7; MTI: 208.8.

Head. In full-face view oval, posterior region elongated forming short and moderately narrow neck; nuchal collar distinct ( Fig. 14A ). Pilosity relatively sparse, long, and subdecumbent to erect. Sculpture shiny and smooth; 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. 14A, C ).

Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, long, and arched; promesonotal groove present; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines moderately large, thin, and triangular ( Fig. 14C ). Pronotum, mesonotum, and dorsal propodeum smooth; anepisternum, katepisternum, and lateral sides of propodeum with sparse puncta and rugae. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect ( Fig. 14C, E ). Gaster. With sparse and erect pilosity ( Fig. 14C, E ). Color. Brown, legs, antennae and mandibles yellowish ( Fig. 14C, E ).

Biology. The species was collected at 520 m elevation, in rainforest. A nest was located in a rotten log.

Comments. Pheidole flammea is known only from Galoko Mountain. Its majors are most similar to P. ovalinoda and differ in moderately dense, long and suberect to erect pilosity on the side of the head, large outer hypostomal tooth, and mostly smooth interspaces between rugae on head. Majors of P. ovalinoda have dense, short and decumbent to suberect setae on sides of head, strongly reduced outer hypostomal tooth, and more distinctly sculptured interspaces between rugae on head. Minors of P. flammea are most similar to parapatric P. antsahabe and differ in brown body coloration, smooth promesonotum, and larger propodeal spines. In contrast, minors of P. antsahabe have black body coloration, sculptured promesonotum, and shorter propodeal spines.

Etymology. Latin for flames, in reference to the shape and density of setae on head of minor workers.

Figures

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).

FIGURE14. Pheidoleflammea, full-faceview (A), profile(C), anddorsal view (E)of paratype minorworker(CASENT0298333) and full-face view (B), profile (D), and dorsal view (F) of holotype major worker (CASENT0923251).