Pheidole vohemarensis

The species was collected between 10–775 m in elevation, in tropical dry forest, littoral rainforest, and rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole ferruginea complex in the Pheidole ferruginea species group. Major: Head, in full-face view, cordate, widened posteriorly; sides of the head with dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; antennal scrobes present, impressed, and indistinctly delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae; scrobe surface foveolate, with distinct, thick, moderately sparse, longitudinal rugae; propodeal spines long (PSL: 0.19-0.23 (0.21)); gaster shagreened; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth slightly lower and thinner than inner hypostomal teeth, lobe-like. Minor:. Head foveolate, genae with smooth notch; propodeal spines long (PSL: 0.12-0.14 (0.13)); promesonotum low, slightly convex, short, with posterior declivity relatively steep; mesosoma foveolate, katepisternum and mesonotum with smooth notches.

Pheidole vohemarensis is most similar to Pheidole manantenensis. Major workers. It differs from P. manantenensis in presence of longitudinal rugae on antennal scrobes, frons never with foveolae, higher promesonotum and petiolar peduncle with wide and distinct horizontal lobes on its basal part. Minor workers. It differs from P. vohemarensis in promesonotum with posterior declivity relatively steep and katepisternum and mesonotum with smooth notches.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  vohemarensis. Pheidole vohemarensis Salata & Fisher, 2020: 104, figs. 38A–F, 85AA, 88K (w.q.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 10): HL: 1.03-1.11 (1.08); HW: 0.99-1.1 (1.05); SL: 0.49-0.57 (0.52); EL: 0.12-0.14 (0.13); WL: 0.83-0.91 (0.87); PSL: 0.19-0.23 (0.21); MTL: 0.48-0.54 (0.51); PNW: 0.48-0.57 (0.53); PTW: 0.13-0.17 (0.15); PPW: 0.4-0.51 (0.47); CI: 95.1-99.3 (98.0); SI: 47.1-53.1 (49.7); PSLI: 18.2-20.8 (19.1); PPI: 29.1-36.1 (33.1); PNI: 45.9-52.9 (49.9); MTI: 44.8-50.8 (48.8). Head. In full-face view cordate, slightly longer than wide, anterior of eyes slightly convex, posterior of eyes convex, occipital margins of lobes convex. In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; dorsal face not depressed posteriorly; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity; whole head with dense, short, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes impressed and indistinctly delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae; scrobe surface foveolate, with distinct, thick, moderately sparse, longitudinal rugae. Occipital lobes shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, rugae weakening posteriorly, interspaces with fine and dense rugulae; frons with moderately sparse, thick, longitudinal rugae, on the posterior part rugae longitudinal to irregular, interspaces with fine and dense rugulae, sometimes rugulae fading on the central part of frons; genae with dense, moderately thick, and irregular rugulae, interspaces with dense and fine rugulae; malar area with thick, sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to indistinctly rugulose. Centre of clypeus shiny and with indistinct, short rugulae, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch present, moderately wide and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae present. Scape, when laid back, slightly exceeding the midlength of head; pilosity suberect to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth slightly lower and thinner than inner hypostomal teeth, lobe-like. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum relatively low and arched, posterior mesonotum relatively steep, without tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines long, triangular, thin, with sharp apex and moderately narrow base; humeral area laterally weakly produced. Surface foveolate, with additional sparse to dense, moderately thick rugoreticulation; dorsoventral propodeum with fading sculpture. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, erect. Petiole. Shiny; peduncle moderately long, foveolate, with very distinct, wide, horizontal lobes on its basal part; node relatively high, thin, with rounded apex, in rear view node with deep dorsoventral concavity; pilosity long and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny and foveolate; in dorsal view sides with long, wide, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity long and erect. Petiole. Shiny and shagreened; pilosity dense, long, and erect. Colour. Bright brown to dark brown, sometimes head with brighter colouration; legs yellow.

Unless otherwise noted above, the following characters occur in this species, and the majority of Pheidole majors of Madagascar described by Salata and Fisher 2020a. Antennal sockets shallow; frontal lobes absent; head in full-face view with distinct median concavity; antenna 12-segmented, with 3-segmented club; masticatory margin of mandible with large, stout apical and preapical teeth, followed by a long diastema and then a short and crenulate tooth just before the rounded basal angle; outer surface of mandible mostly smooth and shining, sometimes with weak and sparse foveolae; antennal scrobes present; promesonotum strongly convex, well above the level of propodeum; postpetiole short with slightly convex dorsum; ventral process absent.

Minor (N = 10): HL: 0.44-0.53 (0.49); HW: 0.4-0.45 (0.43); SL: 0.47-0.51 (0.5); EL: 0.08-0.11 (0.1); WL: 0.58-0.63 (0.6); PSL: 0.12-0.14 (0.13); MTL: 0.35-0.4 (0.37); PNW: 0.28-0.33 (0.3); PTW: 0.07-0.09 (0.08); PPW: 0.1-0.13 (0.11); CI: 82.6-94.3 (86.7); SI: 110.2-122.0 (115.8); PSLI: 23.4-30.9 (26.5); PPI: 60.4-82.9 (71.7); PNI: 67.2-75.3 (71.0); MTI: 81.0-90.9 (86.7). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct. Pilosity moderately dense, long, suberect. Head foveolate; genae with smooth notch. Clypeus foveolate; median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length; pilosity erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, slightly convex, short, with posterior declivity relatively steep; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove present; propodeal spines long, triangular, with acute apex and narrow base. Sculpture foveolate; katepisternum and mesonotum with smooth notches. Pilosity moderately sparse, short, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle moderately short and thin; with few short, erect setae. Postpetiole. Short, low, and convex; with few short, erect setae. Petiole. With moderately sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Yellow.

Unless otherwise noted above, the following characters occur in this species, and the majority of Pheidole minors of Madagascar described by Salata and Fisher 2020a. Antennal sockets shallow; frontal lobes absent; head in full-face view oval, posterior and anterior of eyes convex; antenna 12-segmented, with 3-segmented club; humeral area not developed; clypeus smooth and shiny; its anterior margin regularly convex; promesonotum well above the level of propodeum; petiole smooth; petiole with node moderately low, triangular and small postpetiole smooth; gaster smooth and shiny.

Type Material
Holotype. Madagascar. 1 major worker; Antsiranana; Ambondrobe, 41.1 km 175° Vohemar; -13.71533, 50.10167; alt. 10 m; 1 Dec 2004; Fisher et al. leg.; BLF11264, CASENT0107946. Paratypes. Madagascar. 2w., 1q.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0107947, CASENT0217986, CASENT0872084 (CASC).

Etymology
From type locality.