Key to Pheidole longispinosa species group

This worker key is based on: Salata, S. and B.L. Fisher. 2020a. Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar – an introduction and a taxonomic revision of eleven species groups. ZooKeys. 905:1–235. doi:10.3897/zookeys.905.39592

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Salata and Fisher 2020a. Figure 21. Pheidole scabrata, head and profile of major worker (A, B), head of minor worker (D, E), and hypostomal teeth (G). Pheidole maizina, head and profile of major worker (C), head of minor worker (H, I), and hypostomal teeth (F).

Salata and Fisher 2020a. Figure 22. Pheidole praegrandis, head of major worker (A), profile of minor worker (E), and gaster (H). Pheidole mahaboensis, head of major worker (B), profile of minor worker (F), and gaster (D). Pheidole longispinosa, head of major worker (C), profile of minor worker (G).

Major workers. Sides of the head with relatively long, erect pilosity; antennal lobes never predominately smooth; promesonotum with strong sculpture (Fig. 21). Minor workers. Scape, when laid back, surpassing posterior head margin by one third of its length; mesosoma with dense rugoreticulation, sometimes dorsum with weaker sculpture, but never smooth (Fig. 21) . . . . . 2

Major workers. Sides of the head without or with short and decumbent pilosity; promesonotum predominately smooth (Fig. 22). Minor workers. Scape, when laid back, surpassing posterior head margin by more than half of its length; mesosoma smooth, indistinctly rugulose or the whole surface finely rugoreticulate (Fig. 22) . . . . . 3

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return to couplet #1

Major workers. Genae smooth and shiny on the entire surface or indistinctly rugulose, tips of outer hypostomal teeth never directed outward, inner hypostomal teeth slightly bigger than outer hypostomal teeth; katepisternum with smooth area; body brown to dark brown (Fig. 21A, B, C). Minor workers. Head sculpture smooth or indistinctly rugoreticulate on its central part, genae always smooth (Fig. 21D, E) . . . . . Pheidole scabrata

Major workers. Genae with rugulae, sometimes posterior part with reduced sculpture, tips of outer hypostomal teeth directed outward; inner hypostomal teeth distinctly bigger than outer hypostomal teeth; katepisternum never with smooth area; body dark brown to black (Fig. 21C, F). Minor workers. Head sculpture rugoreticulate, genae never smooth (Fig. 21H, I) . . . . . Pheidole maizina

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return to couplet #1

Major workers. Head and first gastral tergite at least partially shagreened, body dark brown to black (Fig. 22A, H). Minor workers. Mesosoma rugoreticulate, body dark brown to black . . . . . Pheidole praegrandis

Major workers. Head and first gastral tergite never shagreened, body brown to dark brown (Fig. 22B-D). Minor workers. Mesosoma smooth or with reduced and indistinct rugulae, body brown to dark brown (Fig. 22F, G) . . . . . 4

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return to couplet #3

Major workers. Metanotal groove absent or shallow, frons with longitudinal rugae never reaching further than midlength of head (Fig. 22C). Minor workers. Promesonotal groove absent, metanotal groove shallow and wide, mesosoma with reduced sculpture (Fig. 22G) . . . . . Pheidole longispinosa

Major workers. Metanotal groove present; frons with longitudinal rugae reaching further than midlength of head (Fig. 22B). Minor workers. Promesonotal groove present, metanotal groove narrow and relatively deep, mesosoma with fine superficial rugulae (Fig. 22F) . . . . . Pheidole mahaboensis