Pheidole andohahela

The species was collected between 400-775 m in elevation, in rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs and rotten sticks on the ground.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole sikorae species group. Minute species. Major: HL < 0.95 mm and WL < 0.8 mm; head in full-face view sub-oval; body dark brown; sides of head with very dense, relatively short, suberect pilosity; entire head distinctly sculptured; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, large, with sharp apex; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like with apex directed distinctly outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth not closely spaced and not connected by concavity. Minor: HL < 0.5 mm and WL < 0.6 mm, scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length, propodeal spines reduced to small lobes, head elongate and oval and body dark brown; head sculpture shiny and predominantly smooth, vertex and frons with sparse, short, and transverse rugulae; anterolateral sides of propodeum and anepisternum with indistinct and sparse rugoreticulae.

Pheidole andohahela is known only from its terra typica: Col de Tanatana in Parc National Andohahela, Toliara and is most similar to parapatric Pheidole lavasoa recorded so far only from Grand Lavasoa, Toliara. Major workers of both taxa are extremely similar and can be distinguished based on slight differences in the setosity of lateral sides of head (which is sparser and longer in P. andohahela) and shape of the hypostomal teeth (P. andohahela has inner hypostomal teeth with sharp apices and outer hypostomal teeth that are lobe-like and distinctly directed outward). Minor workers are a better resource for species separation. Minor workers of P. andohahela have transverse rugulae on vertex and frons, while anterolateral sides of their propodeum, and anepisternum have indistinct and sparse rugoreticulae; body colour is dark brown.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole andohahela Salata & Fisher, 2020: 39, figs. 22A–F, 63D, 65D (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 2): HL: 0.87, 0.92; HW: 0.87, 0.92; SL: 0.64, 0.63; EL: 0.12, 0.11; WL: 0.77, 0.79; PSL: 0.1, 0.11; MTL: 0.53, 0.56; PNW: 0.36, 0.39; PTW: 0.11, 0.12; PPW: 0.28, 0.29; CI: 100.0, 99.9; SI: 72.9, 67.8; PSLI: 11.9, 12.4; PPI: 40.1, 40.7; PNI: 41.3, 42.0; MTI: 60.8, 60.5.

Head. In full-face view sub-oval, slightly 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 very dense, relatively short, suberect pilosity; whole head with dense, long, decumbent to erect pilosity. Medial part of frons with thick, dense, longitudinal, and interrupted rugae, interspaces smooth; lateral sides with thick, dense, and irregular rugae, interspaces shiny with dense and distinct rugoreticulae. Occipital lobes with thick, irregular rugae and smooth to rugoreticulate interspaces. Area posterolateral from eyes rugoreticulate to rugofoveolate with additional longitudinal and thick rugae. Gena with relatively dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae and rugoreticulate interspaces. Centre of clypeus smooth and shiny, lateral sides with indistinct rugulae; median notch present, moderately wide, and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; pilosity subdecumbent to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, large, closely spaced, triangular, with sharp apex directed upward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, more narrow and lower than inner hypostomal teeth, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth not closely spaced and not connected by concavity. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and moderately low, posterior mesonotum moderately steep, mesonotal process indistinct, tubercle-like; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines short, with moderately wide base and acute apex; humeral area laterally weakly produced. Surface shiny with fine rugofoveolae; anterolateral sides of pronotum with smooth notches. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny with fine foveolae;node smooth to finely foveolate, low, triangular, with rounded and thin apex, in rear view node dorsoventrally straight to slightly convex; pilosity moderately sparse and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny and foveolate; dorsum with reduced sculpture and smooth notch; in dorsal view oval, lateral margins medially with two dentate projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse, and erect. Gaster. Shiny and smooth; pilosity dense, long, and erect. Colour. Dark brown; legs, gaster and antennae yellowish 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 = 2): HL: 0.48, 0.49; HW: 0.39, 0.43; SL: 0.55, 0.57; EL: 0.09, 0.09; WL: 0.58, 0.58; PSL: 0.05, 0.05; MTL: 0.4, 0.42; PNW: 0.28, 0.28; PTW: 0.07, 0.08; PPW: 0.12, 0.14; CI: 122.4, 115.0; SI: 140.3, 132.8; PSLI: 10.8, 9.4; PPI: 55.6, 55.6; PNI: 70.9, 66.0; MTI: 102.0, 98.4.

Head. Cephalic margin indistinctly convex or straight. Pilosity relatively dense, long, decumbent to suberect. Sculpture shiny and smooth; vertex and frons with sparse, short, and transverse rugulae; antennal sockets with few thick, curved outward rugae and smooth 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 short, arched; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines reduce to small tubercles. Sculpture shiny and smooth; anterolateral sides of propodeum and anepisternum with indistinct and sparse rugoreticulae. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Dark brown, legs and antenna yellowish brown.

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, Parc National Andohahela, Col de Tanatana; -24.74969, 46.84949; alt. 400 m; 9 Mar 2015; B. L. Fisher et al. leg.; rainforest, ex rotten log; BLF36798; CASENT0700917. Paratype. 1w.; same data as for holotype, CASENT0923281 (CASC).

Etymology
From the type locality.