Key to Pheidole petax 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 62. Pheidole boribora, head of major worker (A), propodeal spines of major worker (C), hypostomal teeth (E). Pheidole miramila, head of major worker (B), propodeal spines of major worker (D), hypostomal teeth (F).

Salata and Fisher 2020a. Figure 63. Pheidole ankerana, head of major worker (A), head of minor worker (B), profile of minor worker (E), hypostomal teeth (G). Pheidole vatovavensis, head of major worker (C), head of minor worker (D), profile of minor worker (F), hypostomal teeth (H).

Salata and Fisher 2020a. Figure 64. Pheidole brevipilosa, head of major worker (A), profile of major worker (C), hypostomal teeth (E), head of minor worker (G), dorsum of mesosoma of minor worker (I). Pheidole glabra, head of major worker (B), profile of major worker (D), hypostomal teeth (F), head of minor worker (H), dorsum of mesosoma of minor worker (J).

Salata and Fisher 2020a. Figure 65. Profile. Pheidole mavesatra, major worker (A), minor worker (C). Pheidole goavana, major worker (B), minor worker (D).

Major workers. Head in full-face view sub-oval; antennal scrobes distinctly foveolate with very fine thin, sparse, longitudinally or irregularly rugoreticulate (Fig. 62A, B). Minor workers. Head foveolate with no additional sculpture; mesosoma foveolate with katepisternum, anepisternum and mesonotum smooth; body yellow . . . . . 2

Major workers. Head in full-face view rectangular or square; antennal scrobes with dense, thin to thick, most often longitudinal, rugulae and finely foveolate to rugo-foveolate interspaces (Figs 63A, C, 64A, B, 65A, B). Minor workers. Character combination different (Figs 63B, D–F, 64G–J, 65C, D) . . . . . 3

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Major workers. Head with frons and antennal scrobes foveolate; sides of head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; inner hypostomal teeth dentate; propodeal spines small (Fig. 62A, C, E) . . . . . Pheidole boribora

Major workers. Head with frons and antennal scrobes never foveolate; sides of head with sparse, short, erect pilosity; inner hypostomal teeth triangular; propodeal spines moderately long (Fig. 62B, D, F) . . . . . Pheidole miramila

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Major workers. Sides of the head with moderately dense to dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by concavity; body yellowish to reddish brown; genae with smooth notch (Fig. 63A, C, G–H). Minor workers. Head foveolate and sometimes with additional thin rugae, mesosoma foveolate with additional thick rugulae or foveolate with moderately long propodeal spines, body yellow (Fig. 63B, D–F) . . . . . 4

Major workers. Sides of the head with sparse to moderately dense, short to moderately long, decumbent to suberect pilosity; inner and outer teeth not closely spaced and never connected by concavity; body bright brown to black; genae never with smooth notch (Figs 64A, B, 65A, B). Minor workers. Head foveolate with reduced sculpture on genae and mesosoma foveolate without additional rugulae (if additional rugae occurs then body never yellow), propodeal spines small (Figs 64G–J, 65C, D) . . . . . 5

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Major workers. Pilosity of head sides dense and long, frons with area between rugae smooth, antennal scrobes never foveolate, inner hypostomal teeth very low, lobe-like (Fig. 63A, G). Minor workers. Head and mesosoma foveolate with additional thin, sparse rugae, propodeal spines minute (Fig. 63B, E) . . . . . Pheidole ankerana

Major workers. Pilosity of head sides sparser and shorter, frons with area between rugae never smooth, antennal scrobes foveolate, inner hypostomal teeth low, triangular (Fig. 63C, H). Minor workers. Head and mesosoma foveolate and never with additional rugae, propodeal spines relatively long (Fig. 63D, F) . . . . . Pheidole vatovavensis

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Major workers. Head in full-face view square; body brownish black to black (Fig. 64A–D). Minor workers. Head foveolate with few additional, indistinct, longitudinal rugae on frons and malar area; body dark brown (Fig. 64G–J) . . . . . 6

Major workers. Head in full-face view rectangular; body brown to brownish black (Fig. 65A, B). Minor workers. Head foveolate without additional sculpture; body yellow to dark yellow (Fig. 65C, D) . . . . . 7

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return to couplet #5 Major workers. Head with foveolate sculpture, outer hypostomal teeth small and thin, with rounded tips directed outward, pronotum and propodeum without smooth notches (Fig. 64A, C, E). Minor workers. Head pilosity short and sparse, promesonotum with additional irregular rugae, frons and dorsal surface of pronotum with never reduced or smooth sculpture (Fig. 64G, I) . . . . . Pheidole brevipilosa

Major workers. Head never with foveolate sculpture, outer hypostomal teeth well developed, with rounded tips never directed outward, pronotum and propodeum with smooth notches (Fig. 64B, D, F). Minor workers. Head pilosity long and dense, promesonotum without additional irregular rugae, frons and dorsal surface of pronotum with reduced or smooth sculpture (Fig. 64H, J) . . . . . Pheidole glabra

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Major workers. Sides of the head with sparse, short, decumbent pilosity; propodeal spines small (Fig. 66B, D). Minor workers. Promesonotum short, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity (Fig. 66C) . . . . . Pheidole petax

Major workers. Sides of the head with sparse, relatively long, suberect pilosity; propodeal spines moderately long (Fig. 65A, B). Minor workers. Promesonotum low, long, relatively flat or slightly convex, with steep posterior declivity (Fig. 65C, D) . . . . . 8

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Major workers. Body brown to dark brown; katepisternum smooth; promesonotum and lateral surfaces of propodeum with additional thick, sparse and irregular rugae (Fig. 65A). Minor workers. Promesonotum low, long and relatively flat; propodeal spines narrow (Fig. 65C) . . . . . Pheidole mavesatra

Major workers. Body brownish black; katepisternum never smooth; promesonotum and lateral surfaces of propodeum with additional thin, moderately dense rugoreticulation (Fig. 65B). Minor workers. Promesonotum low, long, and slightly convex; propodeal spines triangular (Fig. 65D) . . . . . Pheidole goavana