Pheidole ensifera

The species was collected between 30–1343 m in elevation, in littoral and tropical dry rainforest and in-transition humid forest. Nests were located in litter (leaf mould, rotten wood), rotten logs and branches on the ground, and rotting tree stumps.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 *  ensifera. Pheidole ensifera Forel, 1897c: 197 (s.w.) MADAGASCAR.

Type Material

 * Lectotype (designated by Salata & Fisher, 2020): major worker (top specimen, CASENT0101780): Madagascar, Antsiranana, Nosy Be, coll. Voeltzkow (MHNG) [examined].
 * Paralectotypes: 1 major worker (CASENT0810540, bottom specimen, the same pin as lectotype) (MHNG) [examined], 2 minor workers (1 pin, CASENT0101650) (MHNG) [examined], 2 minor workers (1 pin, CASENT0923207) (MHNG) [examined], 3 major workers (1 pin, CASENT0923208) (MHNG) [examined], 3 major workers (1 pin, CASENT0923209) (MHNG) [examined]: the same data as lectotype.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Fisher B. L. 1997. Biogeography and ecology of the ant fauna of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 31: 269-302.
 * Fisher B. L. 2003. Formicidae, ants. Pp. 811-819 in: Goodman, S. M.; Benstead, J. P. (eds.) 2003. The natural history of Madagascar. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, xxi + 1709 pp.
 * Forel A. 1897. Ameisen aus Nossi-Bé, Majunga, Juan de Nova (Madagaskar), den Aldabra-Inseln und Sansibar, gesammelt von Herrn Dr. A. Voeltzkow aus Berlin. Mit einem Anhang über die von Herrn Privatdocenten Dr. A. Brauer in Marburg auf den Seychellen und von Herrn Perrot auf Ste. Marie (Madagaskar) gesammelten Ameisen. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 21: 185-208.
 * Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. IX. A synonymic list of the ants of the Malagasy region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 1005-1055