Pheidole masoandro

The species was collected at 2100 m in elevation, in montane shrubland. Nest was located under rootmats on stones.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - 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 very dense, moderately long, suberect to erect pilosity; medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces; occipital lobes and area posterolateral from eyes without smooth notches; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by one-fifth of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderately large, and narrow, closely spaced, triangular with apex directed slightly inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider and higher than inner teeth, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and not connected by concavity; mesosoma rugofoveolate; katepisternum with smooth notch; dorsal side of promesonotum with reduced and sparser sculpture; gaster smooth; body black. Minor: Head foveolate; vertex with fading foveolae; frons with distinct and sparse, longitudinal rugae; area posterolateral from eyes smooth; scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by one-third of its length; promesonotum low and moderately long; promesonotal groove present; propodeal spines small, triangular; mesosoma foveolate; promesonotal dorsum, katepisternum, and propodeum predominantly smooth; body black.

Pheidole mainty is a member of a group of taxa characterised by dark body colouration that in major workers ranges from brownish black to black and in minor workers ranges from black (head and mesosoma) to dark brown with body predominantly foveolate (only in dark brown specimens). The group consists of three species: Pheidole alina, Pheidole trichotos, and P. mainty All members of this group are sympatric and their distribution is limited to the northernmost parts of the island, predominantly in Antsiranana prefecture. Major workers of Pheidole mainty differ from P. trichotos in medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces, base of first gastral tergite smooth and indistinct, bulge-like inner hypostomal teeth; from P. alina in sides of the head with very dense, moderately long, suberect to erect pilosity, distinct, triangular inner hypostomal teeth, and wide and moderately long propodeal spines. Minor workers of P. mainty differ from P. trichotos and P. alina in entirely smooth area posterolateral from eyes and predominantly smooth promesonotal dorsum, katepisternum, and propodeum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole masoandro Salata & Fisher, 2020: 107, figs. 43A–F, 64A, 66E (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 1): HL: 1.34; HW: 1.33; SL: 0.9; EL: 0.18; WL: 1.25; PSL: 0.22; MTL: 0.94; PNW: 0.53; PTW: 0.16; PPW: 0.36; CI: 100.4; SI: 67.8; PSLI: 16.5; PPI: 46.1; PNI: 39.6; MTI: 70.5.

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 invisible. Sides of the head with very dense, moderately long, suberect to erect pilosity; whole head with dense, long, decumbent to erect pilosity. Medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces; lateral sides of frons with denser, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces with dense, thick, and distinct rugulae. Occipital lobes with sparser and fading rugae and indistinctly rugulate to smooth interspaces. Area posterolateral from eyes with dense, thick, longitudinal rugae with distinctly rugulate interspaces, sculpture slightly fading posteriorly. Gena with relatively sparse, thick, longitudinal rugae and indistinctly rugulate interspaces. Centre of clypeus smooth with few longitudinal rugulae 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 one-fifth of its length; pilosity subdecumbent to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderately large, and narrow, closely spaced, triangular with apex directed slightly inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider and higher than inner teeth, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth 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 moderately long, relatively wide, and with acute apex; humeral area weakly produced. Surface shiny and rugofoveolate; katepisternum with smooth notch; dorsal side of promesonotum with reduced and sparser sculpture. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny with sparse foveolae; node finely smooth, triangular, with rounded and thick apex, in rear view node dorsoventrally slightly convex; pilosity moderately sparse and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny and foveolate; dorsum smooth; in dorsal view oval, lateral margins medially with two very small and dentate projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse, and erect. Gaster. Shiny and smooth; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Colour. Black, antenna and legs brownish.

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: 0.74; HW: 0.64; SL: 0.93; EL: 0.14; WL: 1.01; PSL: 0.12; MTL: 0.78; PNW: 0.45; PTW: 0.1; PPW: 0.19; CI: 114.3; SI: 144.6; PSLI: 15.9; PPI: 52.1; PNI: 69.8; MTI: 121.6.

Head. Cephalic margin slightly convex. Pilosity relatively sparse, short, subdecumbent. Sculpture shiny and foveolate; vertex with fading foveolae; frons with distinct, sparse, and longitudinal rugae; area posterolateral from eyes smooth; antennal sockets with few indistinct, curved outward rugae and foveolate interspaces. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by one-third of its length; pilosity dense, subdecumbent to erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low and moderately long, arched; promesonotal groove indistinct; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines small and triangular. Sculpture shiny and foveolate; promesonotal dorsum, katepisternum and propodeum predominantly smooth. Pilosity sparse, moderately long, and erect. Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Black, with legs, gaster, 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; Antsiranana; Sava Region: Parc National de Marojejy, near summit, 25.4 km 20.1°NE Andapa; -14.44918, 49.73243; alt. 2100 m; 10 Feb 2018; B. L. Fisher et al.; montane shrubland, under rootmat, on stone; BLF40947; CASENT0923261. Paratype. 1w.; same data as for holotype, CASENT0809553 (CASC).

Etymology
Malagasy for black in reference to black body colouration.