Pheidole ala

The species was collected between 520–1410 m in elevation, in rain-forest and montane rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs, and in rotten twigs on the ground.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - Major: Head in full-face view sub-rectangular, anterior and posterior sides of eyes slightly convex; sides of head with sparse, short, erect pilosity; scrobe surface shiny, foveolate with sparse, thick, irregular rugae; closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth slightly thinner and approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, with moderately narrow base, triangular; gaster smooth; body bright brown to dark brown. Minor:. Head foveolate, genae smooth; promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum; mesosoma foveolate, katepisternum, anepisternum, and mesosoma smooth; propodeal spines minute, triangular; body yellow.

Pheidole ala is most similar to Pheidole nemoralis. Major workers. Pheidole ala differs from P. nemoralis in frons with rugo-foveolate sculpture between rugae and never shagreened gaster. Minor: Pheidole ala differs from P. nemoralis in mesosoma with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum, smooth genae, and minute propodeal spines.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  ala. Pheidole ala Salata & Fisher, 2020: 159, figs. 59A–F, 84B, 86B (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 10): HL: 1.09-1.27 (1.18); HW: 1.03-1.21 (1.11); SL: 0.46-0.53 (0.49); EL: 0.12-0.17 (0.14); WL: 0.85-0.95 (0.9); PSL: 0.16-0.18 (0.17); MTL: 0.46-0.56 (0.51); PNW: 0.55-0.64 (0.59); PTW: 0.13-0.17 (0.15); PPW: 0.34-0.49 (0.44); CI: 91.3-96.0 (94.1); SI: 41.7-47.1 (44.1); PSLI: 13.6-16.1 (14.4); PPI: 31.0-40.8 (35.3); PNI: 51.0-54.6 (53.0); MTI: 44.2-48.0 (45.9). Head. In full-face view longer than wide, anterior and posterior sides of eyes slightly convex. In lateral view sub-rectangular; ventral and dorsal faces finely convex; dorsal face finely depressed posteriorly, forming indistinct transverse depression between frons and occipital lobes; inner hypostomal teeth not visible. Sides of the head with sparse, short, erect pilosity; whole head with dense, moderately short, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae; scrobe surface shiny, foveolate with sparse, thick, irregular rugae. Occipital lobes shiny, with indistinct, sparse, irregular rugae, sculpture weakening posteriorly; frons with dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces distinctly to finely rugo-foveolate; genae shiny, with fine rugulae; malar area with dense, thin rugoreticulation. 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, and wide base; outer hypostomal teeth slightly thinner and approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, and with moderately narrow base, triangular. 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; katepisternum smooth; lateral sides of pronotum and propodeum with fading sculpture. 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, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity long, moderately long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny and smooth; pilosity dense, moderately long, and erect. Colour. Bright brown to brown; legs yellow to bright 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: 0.47-0.52 (0.49); HW: 0.42-0.46 (0.44); SL: 0.44-0.48 (0.45); EL: 0.09-0.11 (0.1); WL: 0.58-0.63 (0.6); PSL: 0.07-0.09 (0.08); MTL: 0.34-0.39 (0.37); PNW: 0.28-0.3 (0.28); PTW: 0.07-0.08 (0.07); PPW: 0.1-0.13 (0.12); CI: 86.0-90.2 (88.5); SI: 100.2-108.4 (104.4); PSLI: 14.7-18.2 (16.3); PPI: 53.1-66.1 (60.7); PNI: 62.8-67.9 (65.4); MTI: 80.6 -86.5 (83.8). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina absent. Pilosity moderately sparse, moderately long, suberect to erect. Head foveolate; genae smooth. Clypeus with fine and sometimes reduced foveolae; 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 erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, short, slightly convex, with posterior declivity smoothly declining toward propodeum; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove indistinct; propodeal spines minute, triangular, apex acute. Sculpture foveolate; katepisternum, anepisternum, and mesonotum smooth. Pilosity sparse, long, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle short and thin with ventral face slightly convex; node low, bulge-like, and small; with few short, erect setae. Postpetiole. Moderately short, low, and slightly 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
Holotype. Madagascar. 1 major worker; Antananarivo; 3 km 41°NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147°SSE Anjozorobe; -18.47333, 47.96; alt. 1300 m; 5 Dec 2000; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; BLF02480, CASENT0413606, middle specimen. Paratypes. Madagascar. 6w., 2s.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0427741, CASENT0427742, CASENT0872080, CASENT0872192-CASENT0872195 (CASC).

Etymology
Malagasy for forest, in reference to habitat of the species.