Pheidole manantenensis

The species was collected between 225–775 m in elevation, in rainforest. Nest was located in the petiole of Melastomataceae.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole ferruginea complex in the Pheidole ferruginea species group. Head in full-face view cordate, widened posteriorly; sides of the head with moderately dense, short, suberect to erect pilosity; antennal scrobes present, weakly impressed, and indistinctly delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae; scrobe surface foveolate, with indistinct, thick, moderately sparse, irregular rugae; propodeal spines long (PSL: 0.2-0.26 (0.24)); gaster shagreened; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, but thinner and with wider base, lobe-like. Minor:. Head and mesosoma foveolate; propodeal spines long (PSL: 0.14-0.17 (0.15)); promesonotum low, convex, short, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum.

Pheidole manantenensis is most similar to Pheidole vohemarensis. Majors workers. It differs from P. vohemarensis in presence of irregular rugae on antennal scrobes, frons with foveolae, lower promesonotum, and petiolar peduncle with short horizontal lobes on its basal part. Minor workers. It differs from P. vohemarensis in promesonotum with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum, and foveolate katepisternum and mesonotum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  manantenensis. Pheidole manantenensis Salata & Fisher, 2020: 101, figs. 37A–F, 85F, 87J (w.q.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 10): HL: 0.96-1.13 (1.07); HW: 0.95-1.15 (1.07); SL: 0.52-0.58 (0.55); EL: 0.1-0.12 (0.12); WL: 0.79-0.94 (0.88); PSL: 0.2-0.26 (0.24); MTL: 0.49-0.57 (0.52); PNW: 0.45-0.54 (0.51); PTW: 0.12-0.15 (0.14); PPW: 0.33-0.44 (0.4); CI: 98.2-102.5 (100.5); SI: 48.3-54.7 (51.1); PSLI: 20.0-24.5 (22.1); PPI: 31.9-38.2 (34.8); PNI: 45.6-48.9 (47.1); MTI: 45.6-51.3 (48.2). Head. In full-face view cordate, slightly longer than wide, anterior of eyes slightly convex, posterior of eyes convex, occipital margins of lobes convex. In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; dorsal face not depressed posteriorly; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with moderately dense, short, suberect to erect pilosity; whole head with moderately dense, long, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes impressed and delimited ventrally and posteriorly by carinulae; scrobe surface foveolate, with indistinct, thick, moderately sparse, irregular rugae. Occipital lobes shiny, foveolate, with additional thick, sparse, irregular rugae, rugae weakening posteriorly; frons with moderately sparse, thick, longitudinal rugae, on the posterior part rugae longitudinal to irregular, interspaces superficially foveolate; genae foveolate, with additional, indistinct, and irregular rugulae; malar area with thick, sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to indistinctly rugulose. Centre of clypeus shiny and with indistinct, short rugulae, lateral sides with longitudinal rugae; median notch present, moderately wide, and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae present. Scape, when laid back, slightly exceeding the midlength of head; pilosity suberect to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, high, narrow, and triangular, closely spaced, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth approximately as high as inner hypostomal teeth, but thinner and with wider base, lobe-like. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low and arched, dorsal mesonotum slightly concave, posterior mesonotum relatively steep, with small tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines long, triangular, thin, with sharp apex and relatively narrow base; humeral area laterally weakly produced. Surface foveolate, with additional sparse and indistinct rugoreticulation; dorsoventral propodeum with fading sculpture. Pilosity sparse, long, erect. Petiole. Shiny; peduncle moderately long, foveolate, with distinct, short 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 and foveolate; in dorsal view sides with moderately long, wide, acute, and triangular projections; pilosity moderately long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny and shagreened; pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Colour. Brown to dark brown; legs yellow; malar area brighter that the rest of the head.

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: 0.47-0.51 (0.49); HW: 0.41-0.46 (0.44); SL: 0.45-0.54 (0.49); EL: 0.08-0.11 (0.09); WL: 0.58-0.64 (0.62); PSL: 0.14-0.17 (0.15); MTL: 0.35-0.38 (0.37); PNW: 0.28-0.32 (0.31); PTW: 0.06-0.08 (0.07); PPW: 0.1-0.13 (0.11); CI: 85.2-93.0 (88.9); SI: 105.1-119.7 (111.8); PSLI: 29.2-34.3 (31.5); PPI: 60.0-73.2 (65.8); PNI: 67.5-74.1 (70.7); MTI: 79.8-88.6 (84.0). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct. Pilosity moderately dense, long, suberect. 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 erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, convex, short, with posterior declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove present; propodeal spines long, triangular, with acute apex and narrow base. Sculpture foveolate. Pilosity moderately sparse, short, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle moderately short and thin; with few short, erect setae. Postpetiole. Short, low, and convex; with few short, erect setae. Petiole. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Dark 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; Antsiranana; Parc National de Marojejy, Manantenina River, 27.6 km 35°NE Andapa, 9.6 km 327°NNW Manantenina; -14.435, 49.76; alt. 775 m; 12 Dec 2005; Fisher et al. leg.; BLF13478, CASENT0068456. Paratypes. Madagascar. 1w., 1q.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0068457, CASENT0923218 (CASC).

Etymology
From the type locality.