Pheidole megacephala melancholica

Taylor et al. (2018) observed this taxon in a Mangifera indica (mango) orchard in Benin, as prey of Oecophylla longinoda.

Identification
A member of the megacephala species group

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Benin, Guinea, Ivory Coast.

Nomenclature

 *  melancholica. Pheidole punctulata st. melancholica Santschi, 1912b: 164 (s.w.) IVORY COAST. Bernard, 1953b: 225 (q.). Currently subspecies of megacephala: Emery, 1915j: 236; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 132.

Taxonomic Notes
Taylor et al. (2018) note that this taxon differs from the type Pheidole punctulata (CASENT0901316) in being dark red-brown and not yellow brown. They then treat it as a full species. This treatment has not been followed by other authors.