Pheidole anosyenne

The species was collected at 1125 m in elevation, in rainforest. Nest was located in rotten log.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole sikorae species group. Moderately large species. Major: Head in full-face view sub-oval and slightly widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides slightly convex, in lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; sides of the head with moderately dense, short, decumbent to subdecumbent pilosity; anteromedial part of frons with moderately dense and thick, longitudinal rugae, posteromedial part with irregular rugae, interspaces with sparse and distinct rugofoveolae; occipital lobes, and area posterolateral from eyes without smooth notches; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by approximately one-fifth of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderate, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex and relatively narrow base; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider, and higher than inner hypostomal teeth, apex directed forward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and connected by indistinct concavity; mesosoma with fine rugofoveolae, dorsal and lateral sides of pronotum with additional transverse and thin rugae; gaster smooth; body ochreous. Minor: Head foveolate with additional indistinct longitudinal rugulae on medial frons, area posterolateral from eyes with reduced sculpture; scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length; promesonotum moderately high and long, arched; promesonotal groove present; propodeal spines very small, triangular; mesosomal dorsum rugofoveolate; lateral sides of pronotum foveolate, anepisternum and katepisternum smooth, lateral sides of propodeum with smooth notches; body dark orange.

Pheidole anosyenne, described from Anosyenne Mts. in Toliara, has major workers with dense and thick rugae that are anteromedially longitudinal and posteromedially irregular with sparsely and distinctly rugofoveolate interspaces, and ferruginous body colouration. Most similar are Pheidole joffreville and Pheidole mivory, known from remote localities in Antsiranana. Major workers of P. anosyenne can be easily separated from both of those taxa based on sparse to moderately sparse, moderately long to long, decumbent to erect pilosity on sides of head, brighter body colouration and presence of smooth notches on lateral sides of pronotum and katepisternum; minor workers differ from P. joffreville in brighter body colouration, presence of smooth notches on lateral sides of propodeum, and entirely smooth anepisternum and katepisternum, from P. mivory in foveolate mesosomal dorsum, brighter body colouration, and less developed propodeal spines.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Castes
minor

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole anosyenne Salata & Fisher, 2020: 45, figs. 24A–F, 63F, 65F (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 1): HL: 1.13; HW: 1.18; SL: 0.69; EL: 0.14; WL: 1.0; PSL: 0.17; MTL: 0.63; PNW: 0.52; PTW: 0.14; PPW: 0.34; CI: 96.0; SI: 58.3; PSLI: 14.8; PPI: 40.2; PNI: 44.0; MTI: 53.2.

Head. In full-face view sub-oval, widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides convex. In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with moderately dense, short, decumbent to subdecumbent pilosity; whole head with relatively dense, short, decumbent to erect pilosity. Anteromedial part of frons with moderately dense and thick, longitudinal rugae, posteromedial part with irregular rugae, interspaces with sparse and distinct rugofoveolae; lateral sides with irregular and thick rugae with distinctly rugofoveolate interspaces. Occipital lobes with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces smooth or with fine, indistinct rugulae. Gena with sparse and thick, longitudinal rugae and indistinctly rugofoveolate interspaces. Area posterolateral from eyes with dense and thin rugofoveolae. Centre of clypeus smooth and shiny, lateral sides with indistinct rugulae; median notch present, wide, and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by approximately one-fifth of its length; pilosity decumbent to suberect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderate, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex and relatively narrow base; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider and higher than inner hypostomal teeth, apex directed forward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and connected by indistinct concavity. 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 moderate, relatively wide, with acute apex; humeral area laterally weakly produced. Surface shiny with fine rugofoveolae, dorsal and lateral sides of pronotum with additional transverse and thin rugae. Pilosity relatively dense, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny with fine and dense foveolae; node foveolate, 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; in dorsal view postpetiole oval, lateral margins medially with two dentate projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse, and erect. Gaster. Shiny and smooth; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Colour. Ochreous; legs dark yellow, gaster and mandibles brown.

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 = 1): HL: 0.55; HW: 0.49; SL: 0.62; EL: 0.11; WL: 0.72; PSL: 0.07; MTL: 0.47; PNW: 0.34; PTW: 0.07; PPW: 0.13; CI: 113.8; SI: 126.7; PSLI: 12.8; PPI: 54.3; PNI: 70.4; MTI: 96.5.

Head. Cephalic margin indistinctly convex. Pilosity relatively sparse, long, decumbent to subdecumbent. Head foveolate with additional indistinct longitudinal rugulae on medial frons, area posterolateral from eyes with reduced sculpture; antennal sockets with few thick, curved outward rugae and foveolate interspaces. Clypeus with 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 dense, subdecumbent to erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum moderately high and long, arched; promesonotal groove present but indistinct; metanotal groove present and distinct; propodeal spines very small, triangular. Mesosomal dorsum rugofoveolate; lateral sides of pronotum foveolate, anepisternum and katepisternum smooth, lateral sides of propodeum with smooth notches. Pilosity sparse, moderately long, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle with ventral face relatively straight. Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Dark orange.

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; Toliara; Anosy Region, Anosyenne Mts, 31.2 km NW Manantenina; -24.13894, 47.06804; 1125 m; 26 Feb 2015; B. L. Fisher et al. leg.; rainforest, ex rotten log; BLF36544; CASENT0923297. Paratype. 1w.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0704255 (CASC).

Etymology
From the type locality.