Key to Pheidole masoala 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 75. Major workers. Pheidole masoala, head (A), profile (F). Pheidole madinika, head (B), profile (G). Pheidole fisaka, head (C), profile (H). Pheidole binara, head (D), profile (I). Pheidole andapa, head (E), profile (J). Pheidole lamperos, profile (K), head (L). Pheidole zavamanira, profile (M), head (N).

Salata and Fisher 2020a. Figure 76. Pheidole masoala, gaster of major worker (A), profile of minor worker (F). Pheidole madinika, gaster of major worker (B), profile of minor worker (G). Pheidole fisaka, gaster of major worker (C), profile of minor worker (H). Pheidole binara, gaster of major worker (D), profile of minor worker (I). Pheidole andapa, gaster of major worker (E), profile of minor worker (J). Minor workers. Pheidole lamperos, profile (K), head (L). Pheidole zavamanira, profile (M), head (N).

Major workers. Antennal scrobes shiny, with thick, longitudinal, and long rugae; interspaces smooth to indistinctly rugulose; promesonotum, katepisternum, anepisternum, and dorsoventral surface of propodeum smooth, with very indistinct, short irregular rugulae (Fig. 75K, L). Minor workers. Head and mesosoma with sparse but distinct foveolae and smooth interspaces, vertex with additional arcuate rugae and promesonotum with additional transverse rugae (Fig. 76K, L) . . . . . Pheidole lamperos

Major workers. Antennal scrobes absent or predominately foveolate with additional fine rugae; promesonotum predominately foveolate (Fig. 75A–J). Minor workers. Head and mesosoma with dense foveolae, vertex never with additional arcuate rugae and promesonotum never with additional transverse rugae (Fig. 76F–J) . . . . . 2

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Major workers. Head in full-face view oval, antennal scrobes absent; lateral sides of head shiny, foveolate with a few thin, irregular to longitudinal short rugae (Fig. 75M, N). Minor workers. Head foveolate, frons with a few indistinct, short, longitudinal rugulae (Fig. 76M, N) . . . . . Pheidole zavamanira

Major workers. Head in full-face view sub-rectangular, antennal scrobes present; lateral sides of head shiny, foveolate with a fine to thick, irregular to longitudinal short rugae (Fig. 75A–J). Minor workers. Head foveolate, frons never with short, longitudinal rugulae (Fig. 76F–J) . . . . . 3

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return to couplet #2

Major workers. Body dark brown to black; gaster smooth or with very indistinctly shagreened first gastral tergite; propodeum with reduced sculpture and its lateral sides partially smooth (Figs 75G, J, 76B, E). Minor workers. Promesonotum in lateral view box-like, with posterior declivity steep (Fig. 76G, J) . . . . . 4

Major workers. Body yellow to yellowish brown; gaster indistinctly shagreened; propodeum never with smooth notches on lateral sides (Figs 75F, H–I, 76A, C, D). Minor workers. Promesonotum in lateral view flat or slightly convex, with relatively convex posterior declivity (Fig. 76F, H, I) . . . . . 5

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return to couplet #3

Major workers. Body dark brown; sides of head with moderately dense, moderately long, erect pilosity; antennal scrobes indistinctly delimited by carinulae; gaster smooth (Figs 75B, G, 76B). Minor workers. Katepisternum foveolate with smooth notch; body yellow (Fig. 76G) . . . . . Pheidole madinika

Major workers. Body black; antennal scrobes not delimited by carinulae; sides of head with sparse, long, erect pilosity; gaster smooth, only basal part of first gastral tergite indistinctly shagreened (Figs 75E, J, 76E). Minor workers. Katepisternum smooth; body dark yellow (Fig. 76J) . . . . . Pheidole andapa

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return to couplet #3

Major workers. Antennal scrobes well developed, delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae (Fig. 75A). Minor workers. Propodeal spines minute, katepisternum smooth, lateral sides of pronotum and propodeum with uniform foveolae (Fig. 76F) . . . . . Pheidole masoala

Major workers. Antennal scrobes not delimited or delimited indistinctly by carinulae (Fig. 75C, D). Minor workers. Propodeal spines small and katepisternum at least partially foveolate or propodeal spines minute and lateral sides of pronotum and propodeum with fading foveolae (Fig. 76H, –I) . . . . . 6

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return to couplet #5

Major workers. Frons with smooth surface between rugae, katepisternum smooth, propodeal dorsum with fading foveolae (Fig. 75C, H). Minor workers. Promesonotum short and convex, lateral sides of pronotum and propodeum with fading foveolae, katepisternum smooth, propodeal spines minute (Fig. 76H) . . . . . Pheidole fisaka

Major workers. Frons with surface between rugae distinctly rugo-foveolate, katepisternum never smooth, propodeal dorsum with uniform foveolae (Fig. 75D, I). Minor workers. Promesonotum long and slightly convex, mesosoma uniformly foveolate, propodeal spines small (Fig. 76I) . . . . . Pheidole binara