Pheidole nemoralis

The species was collected between 10–1620 m in elevation, in montane rainforest, rainforest, montane shrubland, open secondary vegetation, gallery forest, and littoral rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs and tree stumps, and in dead twigs above ground.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole nemoralis complex in the Pheidole nemoralis species group. Major: Head in full-face view sub-rectangular, anterior and posterior sides of eyes slightly convex; sides of the head with sparse, relatively long, erect pilosity; scrobe surface shiny, finely foveolate with sparse, thick, irregular rugae; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex directed inward, and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth slightly thinner and approximately as high as outer hypostomal teeth, and with wider base; gaster finely shagreened; body bright brown to dark brown. Minor: Head foveolate, genae with reduced sculpture; promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity; mesosoma foveolate, katepisternum, anepisternum, and mesosoma smooth; propodeal spines small, triangular; body yellow.

Pheidole nemoralis is most similar to Pheidole ala. Major workers. Pheidole nemoralis differs from P. ala in at least anterior part of frons with partially smooth sculpture between rugae and finely shagreened gaster. Minor workers. Pheidole nemoralis differs from P. ala in mesosoma with relatively steep posterior declivity, never entirely smooth genae, and small propodeal spines.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  nemoralis. Pheidole nemoralis Forel, 1892k: 526 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR. Current subspecies: nominal plus petax.

Worker
Salata and Fisher (2020) - Major (N = 10): HL: 1.02-1.19 (1.11); HW: 0.99-1.12 (1.05); SL: 0.44-0.5 (0.47); EL: 0.12-0.15 (0.13); WL: 0.75-0.93 (0.84); PSL: 0.14-0.2 (0.16); MTL: 0.43-0.51 (0.47); PNW: 0.49-0.59 (0.55); PTW: 0.13-0.16 (0.15); PPW: 0.36-0.46 (0.41); CI: 92.6-96.4 (94.9); SI: 42.6-48.3 (44.6); PSLI: 13.1-16.7 (14.7); PPI: 31.6-38.4 (35. 1); PNI: 49.7-53.2 (51.8); MTI: 43.2-46.1 (44.5). Head. In full-face view sub-rectangular, anterior and posterior sides of eyes slightly convex. In lateral view sub-rectangular; ventral and dorsal faces relatively convex; dorsal face finely depressed posteriorly, forming shallow transverse depression between frons and occipital lobes; inner hypostomal teeth invisible. Sides of the head with sparse, relatively long, erect pilosity; whole head with dense, short, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae; scrobe surface shiny, finely foveolate with sparse, thick, irregular rugae. Occipital lobes shiny, with fine foveolae and distinct, sparse, irregular rugae, sculpture not weakening posteriorly; frons and malar area with dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces distinctly to finely foveolate, anterior part of frons with smooth sculpture between rugae; genae shiny, with distinct to fine rugulae. Centre of clypeus smooth and shiny, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch present, moderately wide and shallow; median longitudinal carina absent; lateral longitudinal carinae present. Scape, when laid back, slightly exceeding the midlength of head; pilosity suberect to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex directed inward, and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth slightly thinner and approximately as high as outer hypostomal teeth, and with wider base. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, relatively low, and convex, dorsal mesonotum slightly concave, posterior mesonotum steep, with small tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines small, triangular, with rounded apex; humeral area laterally well produced. Surface shiny, with fine but distinct foveolae or rugo-foveolae, and with additional sparse, fine and irregular rugae. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny and with fine foveolae; peduncle short, with distinct horizontal lobes on its basal part; node relatively high, triangular, with rounded apex, in rear view node slightly convex; pilosity moderately sparse and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny, finely shagreened; in dorsal view sides with moderately long, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity long, moderately long and erect. Petiole. Shiny and finely shagreened; pilosity moderately dense, short, and erect. Colour. Unicolourous, bright brown to dark brown; legs yellowish brown.

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: 0.49-0.53 (0.51); HW: 0.43-0.47 (0.44); SL: 0.45-0.48 (0.46); EL: 0.09-0.1 (0.1); WL: 0.56-0.63 (0.6); PSL: 0.08-0.09 (0.08); MTL: 0.34-0.37 (0.36); PNW: 0.27-0.31 (0.29); PTW: 0.06-0.08 (0.07); PPW: 0.11-0.13 (0.12); CI: 84.8-89.4 (87.4); SI: 100.6-107.9 (104.2); PSLI: 14.5-18.1 (16.4); PPI: 53.3-65.1 (60.1); PNI: 60.2-68.0 (65.4); MTI: 76.0-83.0 (80.3). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina absent. Pilosity moderately sparse, moderately long, suberect to erect. Head foveolate; genae with reduced sculpture. Clypeus with fine and sometimes reduced foveolae; median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing posterior head margin by one-fifth of its length; pilosity erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines small, triangular, apex acute. Sculpture foveolate; katepisternum, anepisternum, and mesonotum smooth. Pilosity moderately sparse, short, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle very short and thin with ventral face slightly convex; with few short, erect setae. Postpetiole. Short, low, and convex; with few short, erect setae. Petiole. With moderately sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Unicolourous, 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

 * Lectotype (designated by Salata & Fisher, 2020): major worker (top specimen, CASENT0101323): Madagascar, Antananarivo, Andrangoloaka forest, coll. Sikora (MHNG) [examined].
 * Paralectotypes: 1 minor worker (CASENT0101324, bottom specimen, the same pin as lectotype) (MHNG) [examined], 1 minor worker (CASENT0101584) (MHNG) [examined]: the same data as lectotype.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fisher B. L. 1996. Ant diversity patterns along an elevational gradient in the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d'Andringitra, Madagascar. Fieldiana Zoology (n.s.)85: 93-108
 * Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
 * Fisher B. L. 1999. Ant diversity patterns along an elevational gradient in the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d'Andohahela, Madagascar. Fieldiana Zoology (n.s.)94: 129-147
 * Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 1005-1055