Key to Pheidole makaensis species group

This worker key is based on: [[Media:Salata, S., Fisher, B.L. 2020. Pheidole of Madagascar (10.3897@zookeys.905.39592).pdf|Salata, S. and B.L. Fisher. 2020a. Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Madagascar – an introduction and a taxonomic revision of eleven species groups. ZooKeys. 905:1–235.]]

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 * Pheidole makaensis species group
 * Madagascar
 * Pheidole

1

 * Major workers. Frons with thick, sparse, and interrupted rugae, interspaces almost entirely smooth, outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, distinctly bigger than inner hypostomal teeth (Fig. 43A, J). Minor workers. Pilosity on the whole body dense and very long (Fig. 43F) . . . . . Pheidole makaensis


 * Major workers. Frons with thick, dense to moderately dense, longitudinal or interrupted rugae, interspaces rugo-foveolate, foveolate or with rugulae, outer hypostomal teeth never lobe-like, approximately as big as inner hypostomal teeth or slightly higher (Fig. 43B–E, K–N). Minor workers. Pilosity on the whole body moderately sparse and never very long (Fig. 43G–I . . . . . 2

2
return to couplet #1
 * Major workers. Rugae on frons fading posteriorly and never connected with rugae on the occipital lobes, genae smooth, inner hypostomal teeth directed inward (Figs 43B, K, 44A). Minor workers. Genae smooth, katepisternum with smooth notch (Fig. 43G) . . . . . Pheidole fitarata +


 * Major workers. Rugae on frons not fading posteriorly and connected with rugae on the occipital lobes, genae never entirely smooth, inner hypostomal teeth never directed inward (Figs 43D, E, 44C, D). Minor workers. Genae with fading foveolae or only with smooth notch, katepisternum never smooth (Fig. 44H, I) . . . . . 3

3
return to couplet #2
 * Major workers. Body dark yellow, promesonotum high and arched, frons with interspaces never rugo-foveolae, outer hypostomal teeth dentate and directed outward (Figs 43E, N, 44D). Minor workers. Scape reaching posterior margin of head, and head with additional longitudinal rugae on frons and malar area, propodeal spines never directed upward (Figs 43I, 44G) . . . . . Pheidole ehazoara


 * Major workers. Body yellowish brown to brown, promesonotum high and arched, dorsal mesonotum slightly concave, posterior mesonotum steep, frons with interspaces rugo-foveolae, outer hypostomal teeth dentate with relatively wide base, never directed outward (Figs 43D, M, 44C). Minor workers. Scape surpassing the posterior head margin by one-fifth of its length, and head without additional longitudinal rugae on frons and malae area, propodeal spines directed upward (Figs 43H, 44F) . . . . . Pheidole avaratra

Note
+ If outer hypostomal teeth are lobe-like and relatively as high as outer hypostomal teeth (Fig. 43L), and sculpture on katepisternum is fading (Fig. 44B), then see description of Pheidole rugofitarata sp. nov., for which minor workers are unknown.