Pheidole ankerana, Salata & Fisher, 2020

Salata, Sebastian & Fisher, Brian L., 2020, Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar - an introduction and a taxonomic revision of eleven species groups, ZooKeys 905, pp. 1-235 : 1

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.905.39592

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F4C766E4-633A-4103-9FFD-E952718F41FB

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/5845FFBC-72D4-43A6-AF1D-11C57445217F

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:5845FFBC-72D4-43A6-AF1D-11C57445217F

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Pheidole ankerana
status

sp. nov.

Pheidole ankerana sp. nov. Figs 71A-F View Figure 71 , 84D View Figure 84 , 86D View Figure 86

Type material.

Holotype. Madagascar. •1 major worker; Toamasina; Ankerana; -18.4104, 48.8189; alt. 855 m; 27 Jan 2012; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; BLF28148, CASENT0923171 (CASC). Paratypes. Madagascar. •2w., 1q.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0274002, CASENT0274003, CASENT0872185 (CASC).

Other material.

Madagascar. - Toamasina: •3w.; Ankerana; -18.4061, 48.82029; alt. 725 m; 20 Jan 2012; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0274747, CASENT0274762 (CASC). •3w., 1m.; Ankerana; -18.40829, 48.82107; alt. 750 m; 21 Jan 2012; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0275260, CASENT0275261 (CASC). •2w.; Ankerana; -18.4104, 48.8189; alt. 855 m; 22 Jan 2012; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0274408, CASENT0275713 (CASC). •2w.; Ankerana; -18.40062, 48.81311; alt. 865 m; 17 Jan 2012; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0274909 (CASC). •1w., 1s.; Parc National de Zahamena, Besaky River; -17.75244, 48.85321; alt. 760 m; 22 Feb 2009; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; CASENT0149769 (CASC).

Diagnosis.

Major workers. Head in full-face view rectangular, with lateral sides relatively straight, only posteriormost part slightly convex; sides of the head with dense, long, suberect pilosity; occipital lobes and genae shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae; frons with sparse, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, small, and low, closely spaced, lobe-like, with rounded apex and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth bigger and wider than inner hypostomal teeth, triangular; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by concavity; propodeal spines moderately long, triangular, with acute apex; gaster smooth; body reddish brown. Minor workers. Head foveolate with additional thin, sparse rugae on the whole surface; promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity; propodeal spines minute, triangular; mesosoma foveolate with additional thin, sparse rugae, katepisternum smooth.

Description.

Major workers. Measurements (N = 5): HL: 1.42-1.52 (1.48); HW: 1.34-1.43 (1.38); SL: 0.61-0.65 (0.63); EL: 0.16-0.2 (0.18); WL: 1.07-1.16 (1.12); PSL: 0.19-0.21 (0.2); MTL: 0.65-0.68 (0.66); PNW: 0.62-0.67 (0.64); PTW: 0.15-0.17 (0.16); PPW: 0.47-0.51 (0.49); CI: 92.1-94.1 (93.3); SI: 44.7-46.2 (45.5); PSLI: 12.1-14.6 (13.4); PPI: 28.9-32.7 (31.6); PNI: 45.7-47.5 (46.6); MTI: 47.4-48.8 (48.3). Head. In full-face view rectangular, with lateral sides relatively straight, only posteriormost part slightly convex (Fig. 71B View Figure 71 ). In lateral view sub-rectangular; ventral and dorsal faces finely convex; dorsal face finely depressed posteriorly, forming shallow transverse depression between frons and occipital lobes; inner hypostomal teeth invisible. Sides of the head with dense, long, suberect pilosity; whole head with dense, moderately long, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae; scrobe surface shiny, with dense, thick, and irregular rugoreticulation. Occipital lobes and genae shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae; frons with sparse, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth; malar area with dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to finely rugulose. Centre of clypeus smooth and shiny, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch present, narrow and shallow to moderate; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, slightly exceeding the midlength of head; pilosity decumbent to erect (Fig. 71B, D View Figure 71 ). Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, small and low, closely spaced, lobe-like, with rounded apex and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth bigger and wider than inner hypostomal teeth, triangular; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by concavity (Fig. 84D View Figure 84 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and low, posterior mesonotum relatively steep, with indistinct tubercle-like projection; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines moderately long, triangular, with acute apex; humeral area laterally weakly produced (Fig. 71D View Figure 71 ). Surface shiny, with fine to thin, dense rugoreticulation, sculpture weakening on dorsum, katepisternum smooth. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect (Fig. 71D, F View Figure 71 ). Petiole. Shiny; peduncle shagreened, short, without horizontal lobes on its basal part; node smooth, relatively high and thin, triangular, with rounded apex, in rear view node straight; pilosity moderately sparse and erect (Fig. 71D, F View Figure 71 ). Postpetiole. Finely shagreened, shiny; in dorsal view sides with moderately short, acute, and horn-like projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse and erect (Fig. 71D, F View Figure 71 ). Petiole. Smooth; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect (Fig. 71D, F View Figure 71 ). Colour. Unicolourous, reddish brown; legs dark yellow (Fig. 71D, F View Figure 71 ).

Minor workers. Measurements (N = 5): HL: 0.61-0.69 (0.66); HW: 0.55-0.63 (0.59); SL: 0.58-0.64 (0.61); EL: 0.11-0.13 (0.12); WL: 0.75-0.85 (0.8); PSL: 0.09-0.11 (0.1); MTL: 0.48-0.55 (0.51); PNW: 0.37-0.43 (0.4); PTW: 0.06-0.08 (0.07); PPW: 0.13-0.2 (0.16); CI: 88.5-93.8 (90.3); SI: 99.2-105.1 (102.4); PSLI: 14.4-17.3 (15.5); PPI: 38.2-52.7 (45.5); PNI: 66.1-68.6 (67.6); MTI: 79.5-90.1 (86.9). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct, weakly developed (Fig. 71A View Figure 71 ). Pilosity moderately dense, long, erect. Whole head foveolate with additional thin, sparse rugae on the whole surface. Clypeus shiny, with sparse, irregular rugae; 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 erect (Fig. 71A, C View Figure 71 ). Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines minute, triangular, apex acute (Fig. 71C View Figure 71 ). Sculpture foveolate with additional thin, sparse rugae on the whole surface, katepisternum smooth. Pilosity sparse, long, and erect (Fig. 71C, E View Figure 71 ). Petiole. Peduncle short and thin; node moderately high, triangular and small; with few long, erect setae (Fig. 71C, E View Figure 71 ). Postpetiole. Short, low, and slightly convex; with few short, erect setae (Fig. 71C, E View Figure 71 ). Petiole. With moderately sparse, erect pilosity (Fig. 71C, E View Figure 71 ). Colour. Unicolourous, yellow (Fig. 71C, E View Figure 71 ).

Etymology.

From the type locality.

Biology.

The species was collected between 725-865 m in elevation, in rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs.

Comments.

Major workers. Pheidole ankerana sp. nov. is most similar to P. vatovavensis . It differs from P. vatovavensis in denser and longer pilosity on the sides of head, smooth sculpture of interspaces on frons, sculpture of scrobes never foveolate, lower promesonotum and lobe-like shape of inner hypostomal teeth. Minor workers. Pheidole ankerana sp. nov. differs from P. vatovavensis sp. nov. by presence of additional thin, sparse rugae on the whole surface of head and mesosoma and minute size of propodeal spines.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pheidole