Key to Pheidole ensifera species group

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Salata, S., Fisher, B.L. 2020. Pheidole of Madagascar (10.3897@zookeys.905.39592).pdf|Salata, S. and B.L. Fisher. 2020a. Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar – an introduction and a taxonomic revision of eleven species groups. ZooKeys. 905:1–235.]]

Minor workers of this group manifest high infraspecific variability, therefore we encourage to use major workers in species determination.

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 * Pheidole ensifera species group
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1

 * Major workers. Occipital lobes and genae shiny, smooth or with very fine and sparse rugoreticulation; promesonotum, in lateral view, short, angular, and relatively low (Fig. 28A, E). Minor workers. Pronotum and mesonotum with fine to moderately dense foveolae, sometimes foveola weakening on the dorsal surface; head predominately smooth (Fig. 28I) . . . . . Pheidole ensifera


 * Major workers. Occipital lobes shiny, with sparse and thick rugoreticulation; genae shiny, with moderately dense and fine rugoreticulation or smooth with anterior part with sparse and fine rugulae (Fig. 28B-D, F-H). Minor workers. Pronotum and at least dorsal surface of mesonotum smooth, with indistinct, sparse rugulae or with fine, dense rugoreticulation. If mesosoma entirely sculptured on the head finely rugo-punctate and smooth area, if present, limited to basal area of frons and genae (Fig. 28J-L) . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Major workers. Posterior declivity of promesonotum steep to relatively steep, inner hypostomal teeth wide and pointed outward (Figs. 28G, 29B). Minor workers. Petiolar peduncle long, postpetiole approximately 1.5 times longer that wide, head almost always smooth (Fig. 29E, I-J) . . . . . Pheidole ocypodea


 * Major workers. Posterior declivity of promesonotum convex, inner hypostomal teeth narrower and never pointed outward (Figs. 28F, H, 29A, C). Minor workers. Petiolar peduncle short, postpetiole approximately as long as wide, at least lateral sides of head and malar area with fine rugae (Fig. 29D, F–H, K, L) . . . . . 3

3
return to couplet #2
 * Major workers. Sides of head with sparse and long pilosity (distance between setae approximately as long as their length), genae and propodeum with reduced or partially absent sculpture (Fig. 28B, F). Minor workers. Vertex, genae, frons and mesosomal dorsum at least partially smooth, promesonotal and metanotal grooves absent (Figs. 28J, 29D) . . . . . Pheidole aelloea


 * Major workers. Sides of head with denser and shorter pilosity (distance between shorter than their length), genae and propodeum never smooth (Fig. 28D, H). Minor workers. Head finely rugo-punctate and smooth area, if present, limited to basal area of frons and genae, promesonotal and metanotal grooves indistinct but always present (Figs. 28L, 29F). . . . . Pheidole podargea