Pheidole mahamavo, Salata & Fisher, 2020
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.949.51269 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:93BFA448-BB73-43CD-BC4E-A86090DA63D5 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/CAA38C9F-94E1-4929-8F02-3C172105D2C6 |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:CAA38C9F-94E1-4929-8F02-3C172105D2C6 |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Pheidole mahamavo |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Pheidole mahamavo sp. nov. Figs 39A-F View Figure 39 , 63U View Figure 63 , 66A View Figure 66
Type material.
Holotype. Madagascar. • 1 major worker; Toliara; Parc National d’Andohahela, Col du Sedro, 3.8 km 113°ESE Mahamavo, 37.6 km 341°NNW Tolagnaro; -24.76389, 46.75167; alt. 900 m; 21 Jan 2002; Fisher et al. leg.; montane rainforest, canopy moss and leaf litter; BLF05135; CASENT0923292, bottom specimen on the pin (CASC). Paratypes. • 6w., 1s.; same data as for holotype, CASENT0455920, CASENT0455921, CASENT0455922 (CASC, MHNG, PBZT).
Diagnosis.
Moderately large species. Major workers. Head in full-face view sub-oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides slightly convex, in lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; sides of the head with very dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth interspaces; lateral sides of frons with thick and denser rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces, anterolateral sides with longitudinal rugae; posterolateral sides with rugae more irregular; occipital lobes and area posterolateral from eyes without smooth notches; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, large, and wide, closely spaced, triangular with apex directed upward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, narrower, and approximately as high as inner teeth, apex directed upward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and not connected by concavity; mesosoma rugofoveolate; pronotum with reduced rugofoveolae and with additional sparse and thin transverse rugae; katepisternum with smooth notch; gaster smooth; body brown. Minor workers. Head foveolate; vertex with fading foveolae and additional transverse rugae; frons with distinct and sparse, longitudinal rugae; area posterolateral from eyes smooth; scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by one-third of its length; promesonotum low and moderately long; promesonotal groove present; propodeal spines minute, triangular; mesosoma foveolate; promesonotal dorsum and katepisternum with smooth notches; body brown.
Description.
Major workers. Measurements (N = 2): HL: 1.38, 1.36; HW: 1.33, 1.35; SL: 0.91, 0.91; EL: 0.17, 0.19; WL: 1.2, 1.18; PSL: 0.19, 0.2; MTL: 0.9, 0.91; PNW: 0.51, 0.52; PTW: 0.15, 0.17; PPW: 0.33, 0.35; CI: 104.2, 100.4; SI: 68.3, 67.5; PSLI: 13.9, 14.5; PPI: 44.2, 48.3; PNI: 38.6, 38.3; MTI: 67.8, 67.1.
Head. In full-face view sub-oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides convex (Fig. 39B View Figure 39 ). In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with very dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; whole head with dense, long, decumbent to erect pilosity. Medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth interspaces; lateral sides of frons with thick and denser rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces, anterolateral sides with longitudinal rugae; posterolateral sides with more irregular rugae. Occipital lobes with sparser and fading irregular rugae and indistinctly rugulate to smooth interspaces. Area posterolateral from eyes with dense, moderately thick, longitudinal rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces, sculpture slightly fading posteriorly. Gena with relatively sparse, thick, longitudinal rugae and indistinctly rugulate interspaces. Centre of clypeus smooth with few longitudinal rugulae and shiny, lateral sides with indistinct rugulae; median notch present, moderately wide, and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; pilosity subdecumbent to erect (Fig. 39B, D View Figure 39 ). Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, large, and wide, closely spaced, triangular with apex directed upward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, narrower, and approximately as high as inner teeth, apex directed upward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and not connected by concavity (Fig. 63U View Figure 63 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and moderately low, posterior mesonotum moderately steep, mesonotal process indistinct, tubercle-like; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines moderately long, narrow and with acute apex; humeral area weakly produced (Fig. 39D View Figure 39 ). Surface shiny and rugofoveolate; pronotum with reduced rugofoveolae and with additional sparse and thin transverse rugae; katepisternum with smooth notch. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect (Fig. 39D, F View Figure 39 ). Petiole. Shiny with foveolate; node finely smooth, triangular, with rounded and thick apex, in rear view node dorsoventrally slightly convex; pilosity moderately sparse and erect (Fig. 39D, F View Figure 39 ). Postpetiole. Shiny and foveolate; in dorsal view oval, lateral margins medially with two very small and dentate projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse, and erect (Fig. 39D, F View Figure 39 ). Gaster. Shiny and smooth; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect (Fig. 39D, F View Figure 39 ). Colour. Brown, antenna and legs yellowish (Fig. 39D, F View Figure 39 ).
Minor workers. Measurements (N = 5): HL: 0.64-0.69 (0.67); HW: 0.51-0.54 (0.53); SL: 0.8-0.87 (0.84); EL: 0.13-0.14 (0.13); WL: 0.89-0.93 (0.91); PSL: 0.09-0.11 (0.1); MTL: 0.64-0.73 (0.7); PNW: 0.34-0.37 (0.36); PTW: 0.09-0.1 (0.09); PPW: 0.15-0.16 (0.15); CI: 123.3-127.3 (124.9); SI: 154.3-161.4 (157.1); PSLI: 13.2-16.7 (14.5); PPI: 57.8-66.9 (61.4); PNI: 64.8-68.6 (66.7); MTI: 126.0-136.5 (130.6).
Head. Cephalic margin slightly convex (Fig. 39A View Figure 39 ). Pilosity relatively sparse, short, subdecumbent. Sculpture shiny and foveolate; vertex with fading foveolae and additional transverse rugae; frons with distinct and sparse, longitudinal rugae; area posterolateral from eyes smooth; antennal sockets with few indistinct, curved outward rugae and foveolate interspaces. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by one-third of its length; pilosity dense, subdecumbent to erect (Fig. 39A, C View Figure 39 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low and moderately long, arched; promesonotal groove indistinct; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines minute and triangular (Fig. 39C View Figure 39 ). Sculpture shiny and foveolate; promesonotal dorsum and katepisternum with smooth notches. Pilosity sparse, moderately long, and erect (Fig. 39C, E View Figure 39 ). Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity (Fig. 39C, E View Figure 39 ). Colour. Brown, legs, gaster and antenna yellowish (Fig. 39C, E View Figure 39 ).
Etymology.
From the type locality.
Biology.
The species was collected at 900 m in elevation, in montane rainforest. Nest was located in leaf litter.
Comments.
Pheidole mahamavo sp. nov. is most similar to sympatric P. veteratrix , and to P. trichotos sp. nov., and P. anomala sp. nov., known from a remote locality in Antsiranana prefecture. Major workers of P. mahamavo sp. nov. can be easily separated from those three taxa based on presence of thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth interspaces on medial frons and more longitudinal rugae on lateral sides of frons; minors can be separated from P. veteratrix and P. trichotos sp. nov. based on presence of distinct and arcing rugae on vertex and sparser sculpture on pronotal dorsum, and from P. anomala sp. nov. based on darker brown body colouration, sparser sculpture on propodeum, and presence of distinct and arcing rugae on vertex.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.