Pheidole lutea, Salata & Fisher, 2020
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.905.39592 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F4C766E4-633A-4103-9FFD-E952718F41FB |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F0BCD45A-F0B1-4275-B479-8910261BE825 |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:F0BCD45A-F0B1-4275-B479-8910261BE825 |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Pheidole lutea |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Pheidole lutea sp. nov. Figs 15A-F View Figure 15 , 84Z View Figure 84 , 87D View Figure 87
Type material.
Holotype. Madagascar. •1 major worker; Fianarantsoa; Parc National d’Isalo, 9.1 km 354°N Ranohira; -22.48167, 45.46167; alt. 725 m; 31 Jan 2003; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; BLF07348, CASENT0485691 (CASC). Paratypes. Madagascar. •5w.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0485689, CASENT0485690, CASENT0872151-CASENT0872153 (CASC).
Diagnosis.
Major workers. Head in full-face view oval, with anterior and posterior sides slightly convex; sides of the head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; occipital lobes and genae shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces with indistinct foveolae, sculpture weakening posteriorly; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderately high, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex and wide base; outer hypostomal approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, dentate, with very wide base, and upper half thin, rectangular with top pointed outward; mesosoma shiny, with fine, sparse rugoreticulation and indistinct, sparse foveolae, sculpture weakening on dorsum, anepisternum, katepisternum, and mesosoma smooth; gaster smooth; body orange to bright brown. Minor workers. Frons, genae, and malar area smooth and shiny; vertex smooth and shiny with few arcuate, interrupted rugae; promesonotum moderately high, short, evenly arched; propodeal spines very small, indistinct, triangular; mesosoma smooth and shiny, only dorsum with few transverse, thick rugulae.
Description.
Major workers. Measurements (N = 1): HL: 0.97; HW: 0.9; SL: 0.47; EL: 0.09; WL: 0.8; PSL: 0.1; MTL: 0.48; PNW: 0.48; PTW: 0.14; PPW: 0.34; CI: 92.5; SI: 52.6; PSLI: 10.7; PPI: 40.8; PNI: 53.1; MTI: 53.6. Head. In full-face view oval, with anterior and posterior sides slightly convex (Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ). 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 dense, short, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae, scrobe surface shiny, with sparse, thick, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth or indistinctly rugulose. Occipital lobes and genae shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces with indistinct foveolae, sculpture weakening posteriorly; frons and malar area with dense, thick and longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth. Centre of clypeus smooth and shiny, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch present, wide, and indistinct; median longitudinal carina absent; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, slightly exceeding the midlength of head; pilosity suberect to erect (Fig. 15B, D View Figure 15 ). Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderately high, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex and wide base; outer hypostomal approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, dentate, with very wide base, and upper half thin, rectangular with top pointed outward (Fig. 84Z View Figure 84 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and relatively high, posterior mesonotum relatively steep, tubercle-like projections absent or very indistinct; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines minute, indistinct, triangular, with acute apex; humeral area laterally weakly produced (Fig. 15D View Figure 15 ). Surface shiny, with fine, sparse rugoreticulation and indistinct, sparse foveolae, sculpture weakening on dorsum, anepisternum, and katepisternum, mesosoma smooth. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect (Fig. 15D, F View Figure 15 ). Petiole. Shiny with fine, indistinct, and sparse foveolae; peduncle moderately short, with indistinct horizontal lobes on its basal part; node smooth, relatively low, triangular, with rounded apex, in rear view node straight; pilosity moderately sparse and erect (Fig. 15D, F View Figure 15 ). Postpetiole. Shiny, with fine, indistinct, and sparse foveolae; in dorsal view sides with short, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity long, moderately dense, and erect (Fig. 15D, F View Figure 15 ). Gaster. Smooth; pilosity dense, moderately long, and erect (Fig. 15D, F View Figure 15 ). Colour. Unicolourous, orange to bright brown; legs yellow; gaster brown (Fig. 15D, F View Figure 15 ).
Minor workers. Measurements (N = 4): HL: 0.46-0.48 (0.47); HW: 0.41-0.43 (0.42); SL: 0.39-0.43 (0.42); EL: 0.06-0.08 (0.07); WL: 0.51-0.55 (0.53); PSL: 0.04-0.06 (0.05); MTL: 0.31-0.32 (0.32); PNW: 0.28-0.29 (0.28); PTW: 0.06-0.07 (0.07); PPW: 0.1-0.11 (0.1); CI: 88.7-90.3 (89.7); SI: 95.2-104.3 (100.0); PSLI: 9.4-12.4 (10.7); PPI: 61.6-71.2 (66.8); PNI: 65.6-68.4 (67.2); MTI: 74.8-76.8 (75.5). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina absent (Fig. 15A View Figure 15 ). Pilosity moderately dense, relatively short, erect. Frons, genae, and malar area smooth and shiny; vertex smooth and shiny with few arcuate, interrupted rugae; antennal sockets with few thick, curved outward rugae. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by one-fifth of its length; pilosity suberect (Fig. 15A, C View Figure 15 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum moderately high, short, evenly arched; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines very small, indistinct, triangular, apex acute (Fig. 15C View Figure 15 ). Sculpture smooth and shiny, only dorsum with few transverse, thick rugulae. Pilosity moderately sparse, moderately long, and erect (Fig. 15C, E View Figure 15 ). Petiole. Peduncle moderately short and thin with ventral face slightly convex; node low, triangular, and small; with few moderately long, erect setae (Fig. 15C, E View Figure 15 ). Postpetiole. Short, low and slightly convex; with few moderately long, erect setae (Fig. 15C, E View Figure 15 ). Gaster. With moderately sparse, erect pilosity (Fig. 15C, E View Figure 15 ). Colour. Unicoloured, yellow (Fig. 15C, E View Figure 15 ).
Etymology.
Latin for yellow, in reference to body colouration of major and minor workers.
Biology.
The species was collected at elevation 725 m, in gallery forest. Nest was located in rotten log.
Comments.
Pheidole lutea sp. nov. is most similar to P. ranohirensis sp. nov. and P. voasara sp. nov. Major workers. Pheidole lutea sp. nov. differs from those both taxa by surface of genae and antennal scrobes never foveolate, outer hypostomal teeth approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, with very wide base, and upper half thin, rectangular with top pointed outward, and by smooth anepisternum, katepisternum, and mesosoma. Minor workers. Pheidole lutea sp. nov. differs from P. ranohirensis sp. nov. in evenly arched, high and short promesonotum. Minor workers of P. voasara sp. nov. are unknown.
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