Pheidole drogon

The species is only known from the type locality where it was collected in montane rainforest on low vegetation and also recruiting to a tuna bait. (Sarnat et al. 2016)

Identification
Sarnat et al. (2016) - The major workers of Pheidole drogon are distinguished from those of all other cervicornis-group species by the posterolateral lobe and gastral tergite, both of which are glossy and free of sculpture or shagreening. The minor workers are difficult to distinguish from those of Pheidole barumtaun, see that species for differentiating characteristics.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: New Guinea.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  drogon. Pheidole drogon Sarnat, Fischer & Economo, 2016: 17, figs. 1c, 2b, 3-5, 13 (w.s.) PAPUA NEW GUINEA.

Worker
Major HW 2.16–2.19, HL 2.08–2.14, SL 1.07–1.08, FL 1.61–1.66, EL 0.18–0.19, ML 1.68, PSL1 0.63–0.70, PSL2 0.61, PeL 0.61–0.64, PeW 0.16–0.17, PpW 0.56–0.58, CI 103–104, SI 49 (n = 2). Color uniformly reddish brown, coxae and legs a weakly contrasting yellowish brown. Head square; posterior margin describing a broad and shallow ‘V’. Head moderately convex in lateral view without any impression of the vertex. Posterolateral lobes separated by a moderate median impression. Antennal scrobe absent. Antennal scapes long with erect hairs; moderately curved basally to conform to convexity of head. Frontal carina indistinct; blending with parallel carinulae an undistinguished by strength or length. Anterior medial clypeal margin weakly emarginated. Mandible bidentate apically; striations restricted to basal portion. Hypostomal bridge with broad, distinct median tooth; submedian teeth of subequal length to median tooth. Clypeus mostly smooth and shining, median carina weak to absent. All surfaces of head covered by fine, parallel, non-intersecting carinulae. Carinulae irregularly longitudinal from anterior clypeal border to frons, diverging weakly towards posterolateral corners and terminating before reaching posterior margin. Posterolateral lobes with smooth and shining corners; lateral and ventral portion of lobes smooth and shining. Mesosoma armed with long strongly produced pronotal spines and propodeal spines; mesonotum armed with broad and flattened lamellate lobes. Pronotal spines of subequal length as propodeal spines; directed anterolaterally and becoming downcurved apically. Propodeal spines relatively straight, directed posterolaterally, becoming weakly downcurved apically. Pronotal dorsum smooth to weakly transversely striate; mesosoma otherwise mostly smooth and shining. Petiole relatively long, approximately equal in length to propodeal spine. Petiolar node cuneiform with weakly emarginate vertex. Postpetiole approximately equal in height to petiole; in dorsal view mostly smooth and shining with several transverse striations on posterior portion and moderate lateral projections. Entire gaster smooth and shining.

Minor HW 0.67–0.73, HL 0.75–0.81, SL 0.94–1.00, FL 1.07–1.16, EL 0.12–0.14, ML 1.06–1.15, PSL1 0.45–0.52, PSL2 0.43–0.49, PSL3 0.36–0.42, PeL 0.35–0.39, PeW 0.07–0.08, PpW 0.15–0.17, CI 89–91, SI 135–141 (n = 8). Strongly shining reddish brown, coxae and legs a weakly contrasting yellowish brown. Head elongate ovoid, tapering weakly behind the eyes to a narrow posterior margin. Nuchal carinae thin but distinct and forming collar around posterodorsal head margin. Antennal scapes with erect hairs, distinctly surpassing posterior head margin. Head completely smooth except for a few arcuate carinulae between the eyes and mandible. Mesosoma with extremely long spines on the pronotum and propodeum, and shorter spines on the mesonotum. Pronotal spines emarginate; approximately same length as tibiae; directed anterolaterally and becoming downcurved apically. Mesonotal spines approximately eye-length; directed posterolaterally and straight. Propodeal spines fused basally into thick upright trunk before diverging; strongly bifurcate, directed posterolaterally and becoming downcurved apically. Petiole very elongate. Petiolar node conical.

Etymology
The species name refers to Drogon, the black-colored dragon of Daenerys Targaryen, a fictional character from the George R. R. Martin’s novel A Song of Ice and Fire. The name is a noun in apposition and thus invariable.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Sarnat E. M., G. Fischer, and E. P. Economo. 2016. Inordinate spinescence: taxonomic revision and microtomography of the Pheidole cervicornis species group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). PLoS ONE 11(7): e0156709. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0156709