Pheidole spinosa

Pheidole spinosa has been found in rainforest, lowland coastal forest, Casuarina forest, old settlements, coral karst scrubland, and along roadsides. Salata & Fisher (2022) report the presence of supermajors in colonies of this species, a phenomenon previously not known within the P. megasephala species group.

Identification
A member of the megacephala species group

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Comoros. Malagasy Region: Madagascar, Mayotte , Seychelles.

Images from AntWeb

 * image = Pheidole_decepticon__casent0059104_h_1_high.jpg
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Specimen Labels

Worker
minor

Images from AntWeb
major

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole megacephala var. spinosa Forel, 1891b: 178 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.
 * Subspecies of punctulata: Forel, 1905b: 164; Forel, 1907g: 81.
 * Subspecies of megacephala: Forel, 1897c: 186; Forel, 1904b: 373; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1019; Bolton, 1995b: 330.
 * Status as species: Salata & Fisher, 2022: 17.
 * bernhardae. Pheidole picata var. bernhardae Emery, 1915j: 245 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.
 * [First available use of Pheidole punctulata r. spinosa var. bernhardae Forel, 1905b: 164; unavailable name.]
 * Junior synonym of megacephala: Fischer & Fisher, 2013: 333.
 * Junior synonym of spinosa: Salata & Fisher, 2022: 20.
 * decepticon. Pheidole decepticon Fischer & Fisher, 2013: 316, figs. 15A-F (s.w.) MAYOTTE.
 * Junior synonym of spinosa: Salata & Fisher, 2022: 20.
 * gietleni. Pheidole punctulata r. gietleni Forel, 1905b: 164 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.
 * Subspecies of picata: Emery, 1915j: 245.
 * Junior synonym of megacephala: Fischer & Fisher, 2013: 333.
 * Junior synonym of spinosa: Salata & Fisher, 2022: 19.
 * picata. Pheidole megacephala var. picata Forel, 1891b: 178 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.
 * Subspecies of megacephala: Forel, 1895a: 49.
 * Subspecies of punctulata: Forel, 1897c: 186; Forel, 1905b: 163; Santschi, 1910c: 370.
 * Raised to species: Emery, 1915j: 245; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 1019.
 * Junior synonym of megacephala: Fischer & Fisher, 2013: 333.
 * Junior synonym of spinosa: Salata & Fisher, 2022: 18.
 * scabrior. Pheidole megacephala var. scabrior Forel, 1891b: 178 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.
 * Junior synonym of megacephala: Fischer & Fisher, 2013: 333.
 * Junior synonym of spinosa: Salata & Fisher, 2022: 17.
 * Status as species: Forel, 1897c: 188.

Type Material
P. decepticon
 * Holotype: (major worker), MAYOTTE, Mont Chongui, 12.95945 S, 45.1341 E, 380 m, rainforest, ex rotten log, collection code BLF18916, 28.xi.2007 (B.L. Fisher et al.) (: CASENT0132558).
 * Paratypes: (3 major & 10 minor workers), Mont Chongui, 12.95945 S, 45.1341 E, 380 m, rainforest, sifted leaf litter, collection code BLF18922, 28.xi.2007 (B.L. Fisher et al.) (: CASENT0133665, CASENT0133713; CASC: CASENT0133661, CASENT0133677, CASENT0133678, CASENT0133705, CASENT0133710, CASENT0133715; : CASENT0133674, CASENT0133708); (1 minor worker), Mont Chongui, 12.95945 S, 45.1341 E, 380 m, rainforest, on low vegetation, collection code BLF18897, 28.xi.2007 (B.L. Fisher et al.) (CASC: CASENT0132583); (1 minor worker), Mont Chongui, 12.996 S, 45.1343 E, 550 m, rainforest, sifted leaf litter, collection code BLF18860, 28.xi.2007 (B.L. Fisher et al.) (CASC: CASENT0125677).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fischer G. & Fisher B. L. 2013. A revision of Pheidole Westwood (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the islands of the Southwest Indian Ocean and designation of a neotype for the invasive Pheidole megacephala. Zootaxa 3683: 301-356