Pheidole ehazoara, 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/D3D0EC8A-6586-4D6A-B972-D9AFDE718683 |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:D3D0EC8A-6586-4D6A-B972-D9AFDE718683 |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Pheidole ehazoara |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Pheidole ehazoara sp. nov. Figs 49A-F View Figure 49 , 84N View Figure 84 , 86N View Figure 86
Type material.
Holotype. Madagascar. •1 major worker; Toliara; Ehazoara Canyon, 26 km E Betioky; -23.68333, 44.63333; alt. 175 m; 27 Apr 1997; Fisher et al. leg.; BLF01518, CASENT0872059, middle specimen (CASC). Paratype. Madagascar. •2w., 2s.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0198555, CASENT0923186, CASENT0872218, CASENT0872219 (CASC).
Diagnosis.
Major workers. Head in full-face view elongated; sides of the head with dense, very long, erect pilosity; occipital lobes with thick, sparse, short, irregular, and arcuate rugae, interspaces indistinctly rugulose; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with narrow and rounded apex directed outward; outer hypostomal teeth bigger and wider than inner hypostomal teeth, dentate. Minor workers. Head foveolate, foveolate, with additional longitudinal rugae on frons and malar area; genae with fading sculpture; scape, when laid back, reaching head margin; promesonotum low, convex, short, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum; mesosoma foveolate; propodeal spines short, triangular.
Description.
Major workers. Measurements (N = 3): HL: 1.07-1.1 (1.08); HW: 0.85-0.88 (0.87); SL: 0.41-0.44 (0.42); EL: 0.14-0.15 (0.14); WL: 0.82-0.86 (0.84); PSL: 0.13-0.14 (0.14); MTL: 0.44-0.46 (0.45); PNW: 0.49-0.51 (0.5); PTW: 0.15-0.16 (0.16); PPW: 0.38-0.42 (0.4); CI: 81.5-83.6 (82.3); SI: 41.8-49.0 (45.9); PSLI: 13.5-15.0 (14.09); PPI: 34.8-37.3 (36.2); PNI: 54.9-55.7 (55.4); MTI: 47.2-52.5 (50.4). Head. In full-face view longitudinal, longer than wide, anterior of eyes straight, posterior of eyes slightly convex, occipital margin of lobes straight, inclining towards centre (Fig. 49B View Figure 49 ). In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; dorsal face finely depressed posteriorly, forming indistinct transverse depression between frons and occipital lobes; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with dense, very long, erect pilosity; whole head with dense, moderately long, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae; scrobe surface shiny, with thick, moderately sparse, longitudinal rugae; interspaces rugulose. Occipital lobes shiny, with thick, sparse, short, irregular, and arcuate rugae, interspaces indistinctly rugulose; frons with moderately sparse, thick, longitudinal rugae, on the anterior part of frons interspaces with fine, short, and longitudinal rugulae, on the posterior part of frons interspaces with fine and irregular rugulae; genae shiny, with fine, dense and longitudinal rugulae, and behind the eyes smooth; malar area with thick, sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to indistinctly rugulose. Centre of clypeus shiny and smooth, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch indistinct; median longitudinal carina absent; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, not reaching the midlength of head; pilosity erect (Fig. 49B, D View Figure 49 ). Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with narrow and rounded apex directed outward; outer hypostomal teeth bigger and wider than inner hypostomal teeth, dentate (Fig. 84N View Figure 84 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum relatively low and arched, posterior mesonotum relatively convex, with small, tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove indistinct; propodeal spines short, triangular, with sharp apex and very wide base; humeral area laterally weakly produced (Fig. 49D View Figure 49 ). Surface foveolate; promesonotum with additional indistinct and thin, transverse rugulae; its dorsal surface with fading sculpture; propodeum with additional longitudinal rugae, its dorsoventral side with fading sculpture. Pilosity moderately dense, long, suberect to erect (Fig. 49D, F View Figure 49 ). Petiole. Shiny; peduncle moderately short, finely foveolate, with distinct, short, horizontal lobes on its basal part; node with fading sculpture, relatively high, triangular, with rounded apex, in rear view node slightly convex; pilosity long and erect (Fig. 49D, F View Figure 49 ). Postpetiole. Shiny and finely shagreened, dorsum with fading sculpture; in dorsal view sides with moderately short, very wide, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity long and erect (Fig. 49D, F View Figure 49 ). Petiole. Shiny and finely shagreened on the basal part of first gastral tergite; pilosity dense, long, and erect (Fig. 49D, F View Figure 49 ). Colour. Dark yellow; lower part of malar area brown; gaster yellowish brown to brown (Fig. 49D, F View Figure 49 ).
Minor workers. Measurements (N = 2): HL: 0.52-0.51; HW: 0.47-0.46; SL: 0.42-0.4; EL: 0.12-0.1; WL: 0.6-0.59; PSL: 0.1-0.09; MTL: 0.37-0.34; PNW: 0.33-0.32; PTW: 0.09-0.09; PPW: 0.17-0.15; CI: 83.6-81.5; SI: 41.8-49.0; PSLI: 15.0-13.9; PPI: 36.3-34.8; PNI: 54.9-55.7; MTI: 47.2-52.5. Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct (Fig. 49A View Figure 49 ). Pilosity moderately dense, short, suberect. Head shiny, foveolate, with additional longitudinal rugae on frons and malar area; genae with fading sculpture. Clypeus with fine, short, and longitudinal rugulae; median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, reaching head margin; pilosity suberect to erect (Fig. 49A, C View Figure 49 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, convex, short, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove present; propodeal spines small, triangular, with acute apex (Fig. 49C View Figure 49 ). Sculpture foveolate. Pilosity moderately sparse, moderately short, and erect (Fig. 49C, E View Figure 49 ). Petiole. Shiny; peduncle finely foveolate; short and thin; node moderately low, globular, and small; with few short, erect setae (Fig. 49C, E View Figure 49 ). Postpetiole. Moderately long, low, and slightly convex; with few short, erect setae (Fig. 49C, E View Figure 49 ). Petiole. With moderately sparse, erect pilosity (Fig. 49C, E View Figure 49 ). Colour. Dark yellow (Fig. 49C, E View Figure 49 ).
Etymology.
After the locus typicus.
Biology.
The species was collected at 175 m in elevation, in tropical dry rainforest. Nest was located under a stone.
Comments.
Pheidole ehazoara sp. nov. is most similar to P. fitarata sp. nov. Major workers. It differs from P. fitarata sp. nov. in dark yellow body colouration, frons with rugae connected with rugae on the occipital lobes, absence of foveolae on head, shorter propodeal spines with wider base, and dentate outer hypostomal teeth directed outward. Minor workers. It differs from P. fitarata sp. nov. in presence of the additional longitudinal rugae on frons and malar area, longer postpetiole, and never smooth genae.
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