Pheidole mena
| Pheidole mena | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species group: | fervens |
| Species: | P. mena |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole mena Salata & Fisher, 2021 | |
The species was collected between 80–1580 m in elevation, in tropical dry forest, montane rainforest and rainforest. Nest were located in rotten logs and rotten branch on the ground. Workers were collected from sifted litter.
Contents
Identification
A member of the Pheidole fervens species group. Pheidole mena is distributed across the Antsiranana prefecture and is sympatric with Pheidole arivo and Pheidole mamirapiratra. Majors of P. mena can be easily separated based on reddish brown body coloration, presence of indistinct concavity connecting inner and outer hypostomal teeth, smooth posteriormost part of the margins of head, and more elongate and rectangular head shape in lateral view. Minors can be distinguished based on combination of the following characters: sparsely rugulate mesosoma, slightly concave anterior mesonotum, and smoothly declining towards propodeum posterior mesonotum.
Distribution
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar (type locality).
Distribution based on AntMaps
Distribution based on AntWeb specimens
Check data from AntWeb
Countries Occupied
Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- mena. Pheidole mena Salata & Fisher, 2021: 21, figs. 2F, 3F, 4G, 4N, 5G, 5N, 11A–11F (w.s.) MADAGASCAR.
Type Material
- HOLOTYPE: 1s., Madagascar, Antsiranana, Parc National Montagne d’Ambre, Roussettes, -12.52574 49.17238, 1025 m, 15-Nov-2007, montane rainforest, ex rotten log, B. L. Fisher et al. leg., BLF18303, CASENT0134205 (California Academy of Sciences).
- PARATYPE: 1w., the same data as holotype, CASENT0235028 (California Academy of Sciences).
