Pheidole foveolata Eguchi

Eguchi, K., 2008, A revision of Northern Vietnamese species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae)., Zootaxa 1902, pp. 1-118 : 34-37

Pheidole foveolata Eguchi

Figs. 8a-g

Pheidole foveolata Eguchi , 2006: 121-123. Holotype: major, "Y Linh Ho (a small fragment of forest), ca. 1100 m alt., Sa Pa, Lao Cai, Vietnam, Eg02-VN-210", IEBR, examined; paratypes: 19 majors, 21 minors & 1 dealate queen, same data as holotype, IEBR, MHNG, MCZC, BMNH, FSKU & ACEG, examined. Pheidole sp. eg-163. Bui & Eguchi 2003: 9 (checklist).

Other material examined: Vietnam: Lao Cai: Y Linh Ho (a small fragment of forest), 1100 m alt., Sa Pa [Eg02-VN-220, -227]. Eguchi's informal species code " Pheidole sp. eg-163" has been applied to these specimens.

Worker measurements & indices: Major (data from the original description). - HL 0.93-0.97 mm, HW 0.91-0.97 mm, CI 98-101, SL 0.46-0.49 mm, SI 48-54, FL 0.56-0.58 mm, FI 60-62.

Minor (data from the original description). - HL 0.47-0.51 mm; HW 0.42-0.46 mm, CI 89-94, SL 0.42- 0.45 mm, SI 98-102, FL 0.42-0.47 mm, FI 100-102.

Worker description

Major. - Head in lateral view very weakly impressed on vertex; frons longitudinally rugose; vertex and dorsal and lateral faces of vertexal lobe weakly reticulate, with enclosures punctured; frontal carina absent, or present just as rugula(e); antennal scrobe absent; clypeus without a median longitudinal carina; median, submedian and lateral processes of hypostoma conspicuous; antenna with a 3-segmented club; maximal diameter of eye longer than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome lacking a prominence/mound on its posterior slope; humerus weakly produced laterad; the dome at the humeri as broad as at the bottom, or a little broader at the bottom. Petiole much longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole not massive. First gastral tergite largely smooth and shining except a weakly punctured area around its articulation with postpetiole.

Minor. - Head puncutured dorsally and laterally; preoccipital carina absent dorsally; median part of clypeus smooth and shining, usually with a weak or very weak median longitudinal carina; antenna with a3-segmented club; scape exceeding posterior margin of head by 0.5-1.5* length of antennal segment II; maximal diameter of eye a little longer than antennal segment X. Mesosoma punctured well dorsally and laterally; promesonotal dome in lateral view lacking a prominence/mound on its posterior slope; humerus in dorsaloblique view not or hardly produced; propodeal spine much reduced to a tiny dent (at most as long as maximal diameter of propodeal spiracle). Petiole much longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole not massive.

Recognition: This species is characterized among Indo-Chinese species by the following characteristics: in the minor dorsal and lateral faces of head and mesosoma punctured; in the minor median part of clypeus smooth and shining; in the major hypostoma in the middle with a conspicuous median process and a pair of conspicuous submedian processes; in the major and minor promesonotal dome lacking a conspicuous prominence /mound on its posterior slope; in the minor propodeal spine much reduced to a small dent.

It is similar to Pheidole mus Forel and P. sagei Forel (the type material of both species housed in MHNG was examined) and P parva Mayr (the type material housed in NHMW was examined) but distinguished from the latter three by the following characteristics: propodeal spine is rather developed in the minor of the latter three; the minor of P. mus having median portion of clypeus which is punctured weakly or dimly and not shining.

Distribution & bionomics: Known from N. Vietnam. This species inhabits forest edges and nests in the soil (Eguchi 2005). Majors serve as repletes (e.g., the type series).