Pheidole manantenina

The species was collected between 1575-2000 m in elevation, in montane shrublands and montane rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs, under moss, in root mats.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole sikorae species group. Moderately large species. Major: Head in full-face view sub-oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides convex, slightly narrowing posteriorly, in lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; sides of the head with dense, long, erect pilosity; medial part of frons with moderately sparse, thick, interrupted, and longitudinal rugae, on posteromedial part rugae directed outward, interspaces with sparse and indistinct rugofoveolae or smooth; lateral sides with irregular to longitudinally irregular and thick rugae with distinctly rugofoveolate interspaces; occipital lobes and area posterolateral from eyes without smooth notches; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderate, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex slightly directed inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider than inner hypostomal teeth and approximately the same height, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced but not connected; mesosoma with fine rugofoveolae, pronotal dorsum with weaker sculpture and usually its medial part with smooth notch; gaster smooth; body dark orange to brown. Minor: Head smooth with sparse, irregular to longitudinal, thick rugae on anterior frons and gena, interspaces smooth to indistinctly foveolate; scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by one-fifth of its length; promesonotum moderately high and short, arched; promesonotal groove present; propodeal spines small and triangular; pronotum and mesonotum smooth and sometimes with indistinct rugofoveolae on lateral sides, anepisternum, katepisternum, and propodeum with indistinct and moderately dense rugofoveolae, katepisternum sometimes with smooth notch; body brown to dark brown.

Pheidole manantenina is known from Parc National de Marojejy in Antsiranana and morphologically is most similar to parapatric and widespread Pheidole sofia Majors of P. manantenina differ from P. sofia in medial part of frons with smooth to indistinctly rugofoveolate interspaces, lateral sides of frons with more irregular rugae, body brownish to dark orange, and promesonotum with reduced sculpture; minor workers can be separated based on more reduced sculpture on head, and mesosoma predominantly smooth with indistinct rugofoveolae.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole manantenina Salata & Fisher, 2020: 104, figs. 42A–F, 63X, 66D (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 10): HL: 1.23-1.51 (1.34); HW: 1.19-1.5 (1.28); SL: 0.76-0.86 (0.79); EL: 0.11-0.15 (0.13); WL: 1.13-1.3 (1.18); PSL: 0.2-0.23 (0.22); MTL: 0.71-0.91 (0.78); PNW: 0.55-0.67 (0.59); PTW: 0.12-0.19 (0.15); PPW: 0.27-0.4 (0.31); CI: 100.8-107.9 (104.8); SI: 57.1-65.4 (61.5); PSLI: 14.4-17.5 (16.1); PPI: 45.7-50.5 (48.1); PNI: 43.3-48.9 (45.8); MTI: 55.4-64.7 (60.5).

Head. In full-face view sub-oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides convex, slightly narrowing posteriorly. In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with dense, long, erect pilosity; whole head with relatively dense, long, decumbent to erect pilosity. Medial part of frons with moderately sparse, thick, interrupted longitudinal rugae, on posteromedial part rugae directed outward, interspaces with sparse and indistinct rugofoveolae or smooth; lateral sides with irregular to longitudinally irregular and thick rugae with distinctly rugofoveolate interspaces. Occipital lobes with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces smooth or with fine, indistinct rugulae. Gena with relatively dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae and indistinctly rugofoveolate interspaces. Area posterolateral from eyes with sparse and moderately thick rugae with distinctly rugofoveolate interspaces. Centre of clypeus smooth and shiny, lateral sides with indistinct rugulae; median notch present, moderately wide, and shallow; median longitudinal carina absent; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by approximately two-fifths of its length; pilosity decumbent to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderate, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex slightly directed inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider than inner hypostomal teeth and approximately the same height, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced but not connected. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and moderately high, posterior mesonotum moderately steep, mesonotal process indistinct, tubercle-like; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines moderately long, narrow, with acute apex; humeral area laterally weakly produced. Surface shiny with fine rugofoveolae, pronotal dorsum with weaker sculpture and usually its medial part with smooth notch. Pilosity relatively dense, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny with fine and sparse rugofoveolae; peduncle; node smooth or partially rugofoveolate, low, triangular, with rounded and thin apex, in rear view node dorsoventrally convex; pilosity moderately sparse and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny, with fine and sparse rugofoveolae laterally, dorsum smooth; in dorsal view postpetiole rectangular, lateral margins medially with two dentate projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse, and erect. Gaster. Shiny and smooth; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Colour. Brownish to dark orange; legs dark yellow.

The following characters are found in most Pheidole sikorae species-group majors in Madagascar (Salata and Fisher 2020b). These characters also occur in , except for any differences noted in the paragraph above. Dorsal face of head in lateral view not depressed posteriorly; 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 absent; promesonotum strongly convex, well above the level of propodeum; petiolar peduncle with small horizontal lobes on its basal part; postpetiole short with slightly convex dorsum; petiolar peduncle without horizontal lobes on its basal part; body unicolourous.

Minor (N = 10): HL: 0.66-0.7 (0.68); HW: 0.55-0.6 (0.58); SL: 0.67-0.71 (0.69); EL: 0.11-0.12 (0.11); WL: 0.81-0.91 (0.86); PSL: 0.09-0.11 (0.1); MTL: 0.55-0.59 (0.57); PNW: 0.37-0.4 (0.39); PTW: 0.08-0.1 (0.09); PPW: 0.15-0.17 (0.16); CI: 115.0-123.7 (120.5); SI: 117.2-123.7 (118.8); PSLI: 13.1-16.5 (14.5); PPI: 51.3-65.8 (59.0); PNI: 65.6-70.8 (67.4); MTI: 95.2-104.9 (98.5).

Head. Cephalic margin indistinctly convex or straight. Pilosity relatively sparse, long, decumbent to subdecumbent. Head smooth with sparse, irregular to longitudinal, thick rugae on anterior frons and gena, interspaces smooth to indistinctly foveolate; antennal sockets with few thick, curved outward rugae and smooth to rugofoveolae interspaces. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by one-fifth of its length; pilosity dense, subdecumbent to erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum moderately high and short, arched; promesonotal groove present but indistinct; metanotal groove present and distinct; propodeal spines very small and triangular. Pronotum and mesonotum smooth and sometimes with indistinct rugofoveolae on lateral sides, anepisternum, katepisternum, and propodeum with indistinct and moderately dense rugofoveolae, katepisternum sometimes with smooth notch. Pilosity sparse, moderately long, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle short and thin with ventral face relatively straight. Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Brown to dark brown, legs always yellow.

The following characters are found in most Pheidole sikorae species-group minors in Madagascar (Salata and Fisher 2020b). These characters also occur in , except for any differences noted in the paragraph above. Antennal sockets shallow; frontal lobes absent; occipital carina 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, with node moderately low, triangular, and small, with few short, erect setae; petiolar peduncle with ventral face slightly convex; postpetiole smooth, short, low, and slightly convex, with few short, erect setae; gaster smooth and shiny; body unicolourous.

Type Material
Holotype. Madagascar. 1 major worker; Antsiranana; Parc National de Marojejy, 25.4 km 30°NNE Andapa, 10.9 km 311°NW Manantenina; -14.445, 49.735; alt. 2000 m; 23 Nov 2003; B. L. Fisher et al. leg.; montane shrubland, under moss, on ground; BLF09343; CASENT0923299, top specimen on the pin. Paratypes. 6w., 2s.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0487098, CASENT0487099, CASENT0487100 (CASC,, ).

Etymology
From the type locality.