Pheidole miseranda

The small number of collections of this species include label information that they have been found in the soil, rotting wood near a beach, and in a rotting log/twig.

Identification
Wheeler (1924) - Although this species seems to be allied to Emery's Pheidole capellinii from Java, it differs in its much smaller size, much shorter frontal carinae, larger eyes, conical petiolar node, more trapezoidal postpetiole, darker color, etc.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Indonesia, Krakatau Islands.

Nomenclature

 *  miseranda. Pheidole miseranda Wheeler, W.M. 1924b: 243 (s.) INDONESIA (Krakatau I.) Wheeler, W.M. 1937a: 22 (w.).

Description
Soldier. Length 2.2 mm.

Allied to Pheidole capellinii. Head very large, slightly longer than broad. with well developed anterior angles, slightly narrowed at the occipital lobes, the sides evenly convex, the posterior border deeply and angularly excised, the occipital region distinctly impressed in the middle, with the occipital groove deep and broad only behind. In profile the head is somewhat less compressed behind than in front. Gular teeth well developed, acute. There are no scrobes, but only shallow impressions for the antennae. Eyes moderately large, feebly convex, just in front of the median third of the sides. Mandibles large and convex. with two large apical and two smaller basal teeth. Clypeus short laterally, sharply carinate in the middle, its anterior border scarcely sinuate Frontal area subtriangular, distinct, impressed, with a median carinula. Frontal carinae short, somewhat diverging behind, scarcely longer than half the antennal scapes, which reach only a little beyond the middle of the sides of the head. The scapes are slender, curved but terete at the base; the club is about as long as the remainder of the funiculus; joints 2-7 of the latter small and subequal, nearly as long as broad. Thorax small, much shorter than the head and not half as broad; the pro- and mesonotum in profile together form a very convex hemispherical mass, the pronotum with very pronounced, projecting humeri (as in capellini), the mesonotum short, abrupt, in profile slightly angular, distinctly carinate on each side, descending to the deep mesoepinotal constriction. Epinotum small, much lower than the promesonotum, as long as high, about two-thirds as broad as the pronotum through the humeri, the base and declivity subequal, the former horizontal, the latter steep, not concave, the spines only about half as long as the base, suberect, somewhat longer than broad at their bases and rather acute. Petiole narrow, pedunculate, the node produced into a bluntly conical point above, which is turned slightly forward so that the anterior slope of the petiole is decidedly concave. Postpetiole nearly half again as broad as the petiolar node and nearly twice as broad as long, broadest in front where its corners are slightly produced and bluntly angulate. Gaster broadly elliptical, much smaller than the head. Legs moderately long and robust.

Mandibles very smooth and shining, sparsely punctate at the base externally strongly striate. Clypeus finely longitudinally rugulose, most distinctly on the sides. Head subopaque, the occiput more shining; the whole dorsal surface finely and densely punctate and rather regularly and finely longitudinally rugose, the rugae being fainter on the antennal impressions. On the extreme occipital lobes the rugae die out and are replaced by a few coarse longitudinal foveolae. Thorax, petiole and postpetiole subopaque, very densely, finely and evenly punctate. Gaster smooth and shining, with scattered piligerous punctures, but the basal third of the first segment is subopaque and densely punctate.

Hairs yellow, rather coarse and uneven, scattered, short on the head, more erect and longer on the thorax and especially on the gaster, very short and oblique 0n the appendages. Pubescence imperceptible.

Rather deep ferruginous; borders of mandibles blackish; posterior three fourths of head, except the frontal region, anterior half of pronotum above, upper surface of epinotum, pedicel and gaster, except the base of the first segment, darker, castaneous. Legs and antennae a little paler than the ground color of the body; middle portions of femora infuscated.

Above is the original species description. There was no minor described but Wheeler published this a few years later:

Wheeler (1937) Length 1.3-1.5 mm.

Head without the mandibles as broad as long, slightly narrowed anteriorly, with broadly rounded posterior corners and medially sinuate posterior border. Eyes convex, just in front of the middle of the sides. Mandibles with a single long apical tooth and several basal denticles. Clypeus convex, its anterior border straight and entire in the middle. Frontal area large, semicircular, with median carinula; frontal carinae straight, subparallel, as far apart as their distance from the lateral borders of the head. Antennal scapes thickened apically, reaching very slightly beyond the posterior border of the head. Pro- and mesonotum forming together an evenly convex, hemispherical mass; epinotum much lower, slightly longer than broad, with subequal base and declivity, the spines suberect, half as long as the base. Postpetiole as broad in front as behind, its node blunt and rounded in profile, its summit from behind slightly convex. Postpetiole one and one- half times as broad as the petiole, broader than long, with feebly angulate sides. Gaster broadly elliptical, with truncated anterior border.

Mandibles shining, indistinctly striate; head, thorax and petiolar node subopaque, densely and evenly punctate ("thimble-punctured"); postpetiole, gaster and legs smooth and shining.

Hairs white, very sparse and rather short on the body, shorter, oblique and more numerous on the tibiae.

Head and thorax brownish ferruginous; abdomen, mandibles, antennae and legs paler and more yellowish; middle portions of femora and gaster posteriorly infuscated.

Type Material
Described from a single specimen taken on Krakatau, Dec. 1919 (Dammerman).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Abe T., S. Yamane, and K. Onoyama. Ants collected on the Krakatau Islands 100 years after the great eruptions. Biogeography 14: 65-75.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1937. Additions to the ant-fauna of Krakatau and Verlaten Island. Treubia 16: 21-24.
 * Wheeler, William Morton. 1924. Ants of Krakatau and Other Islands in the Sunda Strait. Treubia. 5(1-3):1-20.
 * Yamane S. 2013. A Review of the ant fauna of the Krakatau Islands, Indonesia. Bull. Kitakyushu Mus. Nat. Hist. Hum. Hist. Ser: A, 11: 1-66