Pheidole ocellata

Nothing is known about the biology of .

Identification
Zhou (2001) - Similar to Pheidole sinica in shape, but with 3-segmented antennal club, distinctly far from the latter in relationship, and can be distinguished from all the species which with 4-segmented antennal club in shape. The main character of the new species is that it with a conspicuous middle ocellus and two vestigial lateral ocelli on vertex and can be distinguished from all known species from China.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Palaearctic Region: China.

Nomenclature

 *  ocellata. Pheidole ocellata Zhou, 2001b: 134, 236, figs. 264-266 (s.w.) CHINA.

Worker
Holotype soldier: TL 10.0, HL 3.37, HW 3.03, CI 89, SL 1.55, SI 51, PW 1.20, AL 2.25, ED 0.28.

Head longer than broad, with straight sides and deeply angularly concave occipital border. Mandible stout, masticatory margin without tooth. Clypeus transverse, with median carina, anterior border with shallow notch in the middle. Frontal area semicircularly deeply impressed. Frontal carinae low, curved, diverging backward. Antennae slender and short, scapes 1/2 as long as the distance from where it insertion to occipital corner. Eyes small, situated in front of the length of the sides of head. Median ocelius distinct, lateral ocelli vestigial. Pronotum without lateral tubercle; mesonotum with shallow transverse groove and conspicuous transverse ridge; basal face of propodeum with an inclear longitudinal impression, as long as declivity; metapleuron under the propodeal, spiracle impressed; propodeal spines stout, slightly laterally depressed, blunt at tip. Petiolar node sub triangular, roundly blunt at tip, upper border slightly concave in the middle, peduncle stout and short, laterally tuberculated, spiracle behind the tubercle; postpetiole transverse elliptic, 1.5 X as broad as petiolar node, lateral border bluntly rounded. Gaster broadly oval.

Mandibles with sparse punctures, but still smooth; clypeus smooth and shining in the middle, striate laterally; head longitudinally striate. Pronotum sparsely transversely striate, interspaces smooth and shining; striations before transverse ridge of mesonotum variable oblique or transverse; striations behind transverse ridge of mesonotum, mesopleuron and propodeum longitudinal; median portion of the basal face of propodeum and declivity with sparse, feeble transverse striations, smoother than the rest of the propodeum. Petiole and postpetiole transversely striate. Gaster densely longitudinally striate, interspaces densely finely punctate. Erect hairs golden yellow, long and soft, relatively abundant, sparser on head, denser on gaster. Antennal scapes and dorsum of hind tibia with abundant suberect hairs. Mandibles, clypeus, anterior part and sides of head, gaster with long erect hairs which mixed up with abundant decumbent short hairs. Funicular segments of antennae and tarsi of legs with abundant pubescence.

Color redish oranged, darker at head; mandibles, border of dypeus, antennal scapes and gaster dark redish brown; funicles and legs lighter.

Paratype 2 soldiers: TL 9.8~10.4, HL 3.26~3.51, HW 2.95~3.13, CI 89~90, SL 1.54~1.55, SI 42~50, PW 0.93~1.22, AL 2.21~2.32, ED 0.37~0.38.

Paratype 7: TL 4.7~4.9, HL 1.16~1.19, HW 0.97~1.00, CI 83~84, SL 1.35~1.38, SI 138~139, PW 0.69~0.72, AL 1.54~1.60, ED 0.22~0.23. Occipital border slightly marginate. Median ridge of clypeus projecting forward as a tooth. Frontal carinae yerticular, not covered antennal sockets. Pronotum flat in profile view, slightly oblique forward, mesonotum sharply steeply oblique backward, so that promesonotum forming a blunt angle. Propodeal spines slender and acute. Petiolar node with upper border straight, not concave; postpetiole longer than broad. Legs slender. Mandibles with longitudinal striations; head before level of eye with longitudinal striations; antennal sockets with circular striations 1 remaining of head and body smooth and shining. Erect hairs long, especially those on occipital corners of head and on gaster, the longest hair on pronotum 0.65mm, almost as long as the width of pronotum. Other characters as in soldier.

Type Material
Holotype soldier, Shi Wan Da Shan Natural Reserve, Guangxi, 24.V.1996, Shanyi Zhou leg. Paratypes 2 soldiers, 7 workers, data as holotype.