Pheidole vatovavensis

The species was collected at 175 m in elevation, in rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - Major: Head in full-face view sub-rectangular, with lateral sides relatively straight, only posterior-most part slightly convex; sides of the head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; occipital lobes shiny, with thick, irregular rugae, interspaces with indistinct, irregular rugulae fading posteriorly; frons with moderately dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces with dense but fine and irregular rugulae; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, small, and low, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth bigger and wider than inner hypostomal teeth, triangular, with tops directed inward, triangular; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by concavity; gaster smooth; body reddish brown. Minor:. Head foveolate; genae with fading sculpture; promesonotum low, convex, moderately long, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum; propodeal spines relatively long, triangular; mesosoma foveolate, katepisternum smooth.

Pheidole vatovavensis is most similar to Pheidole ankerana. Major workers. Pheidole vatovavensis differs from P. ankerana in sparser and shorter pilosity on the sides of head, frons with interspaces never smooth, foveolate sculpture on scrobes, higher promesonotum, and triangular shape of inner hypostomal teeth. Minor workers. Pheidole vatovavensis differs from P. ankerana in lack of additional thin, sparse rugae on the head and mesosoma and presence of relatively long propodeal spines.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  vatovavensis. Pheidole vatovavensis Salata & Fisher, 2020: 195, figs. 72A–F, 85Y, 88I (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 8): HL: 1.22-1.37 (1.3); HW: 1.19-1.31 (1.24); SL: 0.53-0.59 (0.56); EL: 0.13-0.16 (0.15); WL: 0.92-1.01 (0.97); PSL: 0.19-0.23 (0.21); MTL: 0.52-0.56 (0.54); PNW: 0.58-0.65 (0.61); PTW: 0.12-0.15 (0.13); PPW: 0.45-0.51 (0.47); CI: 94.2-99.4 (95.4); SI: 42.3-46.7 (44.9); PSLI: 14.7-16.8 (15.9); PPI: 26.1-33.3 (28.0); PNI: 46.6-51.7 (49.2); MTI: 41.4-45.2 (43.3). Head. In full-face view longer than wide, anterior of eyes straight, posterior of eyes convex. In lateral view sub-rectangular; ventral and dorsal faces finely convex; dorsal face finely depressed posteriorly, forming shallow transverse depression between frons and occipital lobes; inner hypostomal teeth invisible. Sides of the head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; whole head with dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes weakly impressed and indistinctly delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae; scrobe surface shiny, foveolate with thick, longitudinal, and long rugae. Occipital lobes shiny, with thick, irregular rugae, interspaces with indistinct, irregular rugulae fading posteriorly; frons with moderately dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces with dense but fine and irregular rugulae; genae shiny, with dense and thin, irregular rugulae, central part with reduced sculpture; malar area with thin, longitudinal, dense rugoreticulation. Centre of clypeus shiny and smooth, lateral sides with longitudinal rugulae; median notch present, moderately wide and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae present. Scape, when laid back, slightly surpassing the midlength of head; pilosity suberect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, small, and low, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth bigger and wider than inner hypostomal teeth, triangular, with tops directed inward, triangular; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by concavity. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum relatively low and arched, posterior mesonotum steep, without tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines moderately long, triangular, with rounded apex and wide base; humeral area laterally well produced. Surface shiny, with fine and sparse foveolae and additional rugoreticulation; dorsal surface of promesonotum with fading foveolae and a few thick, transverse rugae; katepisternum smooth. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny and with fine foveolae; peduncle short, with indistinct 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, triangular projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse, and erect. Petiole. Shiny and smooth; pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Colour. Head reddish brown; mesosoma and legs yellowish brown; gaster 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 = 2): HL: 0.56-0.52; HW: 0.48-0.47; SL: 0.5-0.48; EL: 0.1-0.1; WL: 0.64-0.6; PSL: 0.11-0.1; MTL: 0.38-0.37; PNW: 0.33-0.33; PTW: 0.06-0.06; PPW: 0.14-0.16; CI: 86.4-90.5; SI: 103.7-100.2; PSLI: 19.8-19.3; PPI: 42.2-47.2; PNI: 67.1-69.6; MTI: 77.7-77.2. Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina absent. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, suberect to erect. Head foveolate; genae with fading sculpture. 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 suberect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, convex, moderately long, with posterior declivity smoothly declining toward propodeum; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines relatively long, triangular, with acute apex. Sculpture foveolate; katepisternum smooth. Pilosity moderately sparse, short, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle moderately short and thin with ventral face slightly convex; with few long, erect setae. Postpetiole. Short, low, and convex; with few short, erect setae. Petiole. With 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; Fianarantsoa; 7.6 km 122° Kianjavato, Forêt Classée Vatovavy; -21.4, 47.94; alt. 175 m; 6 Jun 2005; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; BLF12315, CASENT0060282. Paratypes. Madagascar. 2w.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0060283, CASENT0923179 (CASC).

Etymology
From the type locality.