Pheidole makirovana

The species was collected between 450–1200 m in elevation, in transitional humid forest, rainforest, and montane rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs and rotten twigs on the ground.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole curvistriata species group. Major: Head in full face view rectangular, slightly widening posteriorly; sides of the head with moderately dense, long, erect pilosity; frons with thick, sparse to moderately sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth or with indistinct but dense rugulae; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, low, thick and triangular, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth higher and slightly wider than inner hypostomal teeth, thick, with rounded tips, and wide base; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by indistinct concavity; propodeal spines moderately long, narrow, with base slightly wider than top; first gastral tergite finely shagreened. Minor:. Whole head foveolate; thick, sparse, longitudinal to irregular rugae overlie foveolate sculpture on frons and malar area, upper part of frons with rugae curved outward; sparse, irregular to arcuate, thick rugae overlie foveolate sculpture on vertex and genae; promesonotum low, short, flat or slightly convex, with steep posterior declivity; mesosoma foveolate, with sparse, thick and irregular rugae overlying foveolae; anepisternum, katepisternum, and mesosoma smooth.

Pheidole makirovana is most similar to Pheidole curvistriata. Major workers. Pheidole makirovana differs from P. curvistriata by pronotum, mesonotum, anepisternum, and katepisternum with smooth notches and outer hypostomal teeth wider than inner hypostomal teeth. Minor workers. Pheidole makirovana differs from P. curvistriata by rugae on upper part of frons curved outward and smooth mesosoma.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  makirovana. Pheidole makirovana Salata & Fisher, 2020: 147, figs. 54A–F, 85E, 87I (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 10): HL: 1.7-1.92 (1.8); HW: 1.57-1.7 (1.62); SL: 0.64-0.71 (0.68); EL: 0.18-0.2 (0.19); WL: 1.09-1.27 (1.18); PSL: 0.24-0.27 (0.26); MTL: 0.68-0.73 (0.7); PNW: 0.77-0.8 (0.78); PTW: 0.23-0.28 (0.25); PPW: 0.62-0.73 (0.68); CI: 87.2-95.0 (90.1); SI: 39.0-44.0 (41.7); PSLI: 13.4-15.9 (14.4); PPI: 32.4-39.7 (36.2); PNI: 46.4-50.0 (48.2); MTI: 41.1-44.4 (43.4). Head. In full-face view rectangular, slightly widening posteriorly, anterior of eyes relatively straight, posterior of eyes slightly 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, moderately long, suberect to erect pilosity. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae. Occipital lobes shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces smooth to finely rugulose; frons with thick, sparse to moderately sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth or with indistinct but dense rugulae; lateral sides of head with thin, dense, irregularly rugoreticulate; malar area with dense and thin longitudinal rugulae; genae with fine, thin, dense rugulae. Clypeus shiny and smooth, with thin, longitudinal rugulae on lateral sides; median notch present, narrow and moderately deep; median longitudinal carina absent; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, reaching midlength of head; pilosity decumbent to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, low, thick, and triangular, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth higher and slightly wider than inner hypostomal teeth, thick, with rounded tips, and wide base; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by indistinct concavity. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and relatively low, posterior mesonotum steep, with moderately large, tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent or indistinct; propodeal spines moderately long, narrow, with wide base, apex rounded; humeral area with small and flat tubercles. Surface shiny, pronotum, mesonotum, anepisternum, and katepisternum smooth, with very sparse, thick to thin, irregular rugae, lateral sides of propodeum with few thick, longitudinal rugae; sometimes surface with additional indistinct and sparse rugulae on promesonotum. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny, finely shagreened to smooth; peduncle short, with small, rounded horizontal lobes on its basal part; node moderately high and narrow, with convex apex, in rear view node relatively straight; pilosity moderately dense and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny and finely shagreened; short and rounded; in dorsal view sides with relatively long, acute, triangular projections; pilosity long, moderately dense and erect. Petiole. First gastral tergite shiny and finely shagreened; pilosity dense, long and erect. Colour. Unicolourous, brown to dark brown; legs dark yellow.

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: 0.57-0.62 (0.59); HW: 0.53-0.57 (0.54); SL: 0.56-0.61 (0.59); EL: 0.11-0.12 (0.11); WL: 0.69-0.79 (0.75); PSL: 0.11-0.14 (0.12); MTL: 0.44-0.48 (0.47); PNW: 0.36-0.4 (0.37); PTW: 0.06-0.09 (0.07); PPW: 0.11-0.13 (0.12); CI: 88.5-94.6 (91.8); SI: 103.2-112.8 (107.8); PSLI: 17.9-23.6 (21.0); PPI: 54.6-67.2 (61.4); PNI: 66.8-71.8 (69.2); MTI: 80.0-90.7 (86.0). Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct, weakly developed. Pilosity moderately dense, long, erect. Whole head foveolate; thick, sparse, longitudinal to irregular rugae overlie foveolate sculpture on frons and malar area, upper part of frons with rugae curved outward; sparse, irregular to arcuate, thick rugae overlie foveolate sculpture on vertex and genae. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina present; 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, short, flat or slightly convex, with steep posterior declivity; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent or indistinct; propodeal spines moderately long, triangular, apex acute. Sculpture foveolate, with sparse, thick, and irregular rugae overlying foveolae; anepisternum, katepisternum, and mesosoma smooth. Pilosity sparse, long, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle moderately long and thin; node moderately high, triangular, and small; with few long, erect setae. Postpetiole. Short, low, and convex; with few short, erect setae. Petiole. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Unicolourous, yellowish brown to brown; legs 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; Makirovana Forest; -14.16506, 49.9477; alt. 900 m; 30 Apr 2011; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; BLF26745, CASENT0231059. Paratype. Madagascar. 1w.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0923174 (CASC).

Etymology
From the type locality.