Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar - an introduction and a taxonomic revision of eleven species groups Author Salata, Sebastian Author Fisher, Brian L. text ZooKeys 2020 905 1 235 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.905.39592 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.905.39592 1313-2970-905-1 F4C766E4633A41039FFDE952718F41FB 4C7E0CB428DF56BDB15B7AC8D6707961 Pheidole boribora sp. nov. Figs 73A-F , 84J , 86J 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; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; BLF05130, CASENT0456013 (CASC). Paratypes . Madagascar. •4w.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0456014-CASENT0456016, CASENT0872187-CASENT0872190 (CASC). Diagnosis. Major workers . Head in full-face view oval, relatively as long as wide, anterior and posterior of eyes moderately convex; sides of the head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; genae smooth and shiny; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, distinct, low, thick, and triangular, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth approximately the same size as inner hypostomal teeth, thick, dentate, with rounded tips; propodeal spines small, triangular; first gastral tergite finely shagreened; body reddish brown. Minor workers . Head foveolate; promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity; propodeal spines small; mesosoma foveolate, foveolate, mesonotum, anepisternum, katepisternum and lateral surfaces of propodeum smooth; body yellow. Description. Major workers. Measurements ( N = 1): HL: 1.5; HW: 1.4; SL: 0.66; EL: 0.17; WL: 1.07; PSL: 0.17; MTL: 0.66; PNW: 0.58; PTW: 0.19; PPW: 0.41; CI: 93.4; SI: 47.2; PSLI: 11.2; PPI: 45.5; PNI: 41.6; MTI: 46.9. Head . In full-face view oval, anterior and posterior of eyes moderately convex (Fig. 73B ). 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 moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; whole head with moderately dense, short, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae. Occipital lobes shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces smooth to finely foveolate; frons with thick, moderately dense, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to finely foveolate; lateral sides of head foveolate, with additional thin, sparse, longitudinal rugae; malar area with dense and thin longitudinal rugulae; genae smooth and shiny. Clypeus shiny and smooth, with thin, longitudinal rugulae on the lateral sides; median notch present, narrow, and moderately deep; median longitudinal carina absent; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, reaching the midlength of head; pilosity decumbent to erect (Fig. 73B, D ). Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, low, thick, and triangular, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth approximately the same size as inner hypostomal teeth, thick, dentate, with rounded tips (Fig. 84J ). Mesosoma . In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and relatively low, posterior mesonotum steep, with moderately large, tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent or indistinct; propodeal spines small, triangular, with base wide, apex rounded; humeral area with small and flat tubercles (Fig. 73D ). Surface shiny, with very sparse, transverse to irregular thin rugae, pronotum and propodeum with additional indistinct and sparse foveolae. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect (Fig. 73D, F ). Petiole . Shiny, finely shagreened to smooth; peduncle short, with small, rounded, horizontal lobes on its basal part; node moderately high and triangular, with convex apex, in rear view node relatively straight; pilosity moderately sparse and erect (Fig. 73D, F ). Postpetiole . Shiny and finely shagreened; short and rounded; in dorsal view sides with short, acute, triangular projections; pilosity long, moderately dense, and erect (Fig. 73D, F ). Petiole . First gastral tergite shiny and finely shagreened; pilosity dense, long and erect (Fig. 73D, F ). Colour . Head reddish brown; mesosoma and gaster yellowish brown to brown; legs dark yellow (Fig. 73D, F ). Figure 73. Pheidole boribora sp. nov., full-face view ( A ), profile ( C ), and dorsal view ( E ) of paratype minor worker (CASENT0456014) and full-face view ( B ), profile ( D ), and dorsal view ( F ) of holotype major worker (CASENT0456013). Minor workers. Measurements ( N = 3): HL: 0.55-0.58 (0.56); HW: 0.49-0.5 (0.49); SL: 0.57-0.58 (0.57); EL: 0.11-0.11 (0.11); WL: 0.68-0.76 (0.74); PSL: 0.07-0.1 (0.08); MTL: 0.42-0.46 (0.43); PNW: 0.31-0.32 (0.31); PTW: 0.06-0.08 (0.07); PPW: 0.12-0.14 (0.13); CI: 85.8-89.4 (87.5); SI: 116.2-116.8 (116.4); PSLI: 12.0-17.0 (14.6); PPI: 46.0-59.8 (53.3); PNI: 62.9-64.2 (63.5); MTI: 85.0-91.2 (88.0). Head . Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct, weakly developed (Fig. 73A ). Pilosity moderately dense, long, erect. Whole head foveolate. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length; pilosity erect (Fig. 73A, C ). Mesosoma . In lateral view, promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines small, triangular, apex acute (Fig. 73C ). Sculpture foveolate; katepisternum, anepisternum and mesonotum smooth. Pilosity sparse, long, and erect (Fig. 73C, E ). Petiole . Peduncle short and thin with ventral face slightly convex; node low, triangular, and small; with few moderately long, erect setae (Fig. 73C, E ). Postpetiole . Short, low, and convex; with few moderately long, erect setae (Fig. 73C, E ). Petiole . With moderately sparse, erect pilosity (Fig. 73C, E ). Colour . Unicolourous, yellow (Fig. 73C, E ). Etymology. Malagasy for oval, in reference to the head shape of major workers. Biology. The species was collected at 900 m in elevation, in montane rainforest. Nest was located in a rotten log. Comments. Major workers . Pheidole boribora sp. nov. is most similar to P. miramila sp. nov. and differs from it by presence of foveolae on head, dense and long pilosity of sides of head, dentate inner hypostomal teeth, and small propodeal spines. Minor workers . Pheidole boribora sp. nov. is most similar to P. petax and differs from it by smooth mesonotum, anepisternum, and lateral surfaces of propodeum.