Pheidole mantadia

The species was collected at 939 m in elevation, in rainforest. Nest was located in rotten log.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole curvistriata species group. Major: Head in full face view rectangular, slightly widening posteriorly; sides of the head with sparse, relatively short, erect pilosity; frons with thick, sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to indistinctly rugulose; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, low, thick, bulge-like, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth higher, thick, with rounded tips, triangular; inner and outer teeth closely spaced and connected by indistinct concavity; propodeal spines moderately long, with base slightly wider than top; first gastral tergite shagreened. Minor:. Whole head foveolate, frons and malar area with few additional, indistinct, longitudinal rugae, vertex with indistinct irregular rugae, genae with sculpture reduced to absent; promesonotum low, slightly convex, with steep posterior declivity; mesosoma foveolate, katepisternum, and mesonotum smooth.

Pheidole mantadia is most similar to Pheidole curvistriata and Pheidole moramanaensis. Major workers. Pheidole mantadia can be distinguished from P. curvistriat a by presence of fine foveolate sculpture on frons and mesosoma, low and thick inner hypostomal teeth, which are wider than high and thick, high outer hypostomal teeth; from P.  moramanaensis by sparser and shorter pilosity on sides of head. Minor workers. Pheidole mantadia can be distinguished from P. curvistriata by frons and malar with indistinct, longitudinal rugae, and vertex with indistinct irregular and never arcuate rugae, absence of irregular rugae on mesosoma, and smooth mesonotum; from P.  moramanaensis by frons and malar area with indistinct, longitudinal rugae, and never smooth clypeus.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Worker
Minor

Major

Nomenclature

 *  mantadia. Pheidole mantadia Salata & Fisher, 2020: 150, figs. 55A–F, 85G, 87K (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 1): HL: 1.68; HW: 1.52; SL: 0.67; EL: 0.17; WL: 1.21; PSL: 0.24; MTL: 0.68; PNW: 0.7; PTW: 0.2; PPW: 0.61; CI: 90.5; SI: 43.9; PSLI: 14.5; PPI: 33.9; PNI: 46.1; MTI: 44.7. Head. In full-face view rectangular, slightly widening posteriorly, anterior of eyes relatively straight, posterior of eyes convex. In lateral view sub-rectangular; ventral and dorsal faces finely convex; dorsal face finely depressed posteriorly, forming indistinct transverse depression between frons and occipital lobes; inner hypostomal teeth invisible. Antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae. Sides of the head with sparse, relatively short, erect pilosity; whole head with dense, moderately long, suberect to erect pilosity. Occipital lobes shiny, with thick, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces smooth to finely rugulose; frons with thick, sparse, longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to indistinctly rugulose; lateral sides of head with fine and sparse rugulae, area between rugulae finely foveolate; malar area with dense and thin longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth; genae with fine, thin, and dense rugulae. Clypeus shiny and smooth, with thin, longitudinal rugulae on lateral sides; median notch present, narrow, and moderately deep; median longitudinal carina indistinct; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, reaching the midlength of head; pilosity decumbent to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, low, thick, bulge-like, with rounded apex; outer hypostomal teeth higher, thick, with rounded tips, triangular. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and relatively low, posterior mesonotum steep, with small tubercle-like projections; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent or indistinct; propodeal spines moderately long, with base slightly wider than top, apex rounded; humeral area with small and flat tubercles. Surface shiny, finely foveolate, katepisternum, anepisternum, and lateral surfaces of propodeum smooth, with few irregular, thick rugae. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny, finely foveolate; peduncle short, with small, rounded, horizontal lobes on its basal part; node moderately high and narrow, with convex apex, in rear view node relatively straight; pilosity moderately sparse and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny, with fine and sparse foveolae; short and rounded; in dorsal view sides with relatively long, acute, horn-like projections; pilosity long, moderately dense and erect. Petiole. First gastral tergite shiny and shagreened; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Colour. Unicolourous, reddish brown to brown; legs yellow to brown.

Unless otherwise noted above, the following characters occur in this species, and the majority of Pheidole majors of Madagascar described by Salata and Fisher 2020a. 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 present; promesonotum strongly convex, well above the level of propodeum; postpetiole short with slightly convex dorsum; ventral process absent.

Minor (N = 1): HL: 0.58; HW: 0.52; SL: 0.6; EL: 0.11; WL: 0.7; PSL: 0.1; MTL: 0.48; PNW: 0.37; PTW: 0.07; PPW: 0. 1; CI: 89.2; SI: 115.7; PSLI: 17.0; PPI: 64.4; PNI: 71.4; MTI: 91.7. Head. Occipital margin straight or indistinctly concave; occipital carina indistinct, weakly developed. Pilosity moderately sparse, long, and erect. Whole head foveolate, frons and malar area with few additional, indistinct, longitudinal rugae, vertex with indistinct irregular rugae, genae with sculpture reduced to absent. Clypeus shiny, foveolate to rugoreticulate; median longitudinal carina present; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length; pilosity erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low, slightly convex, with steep posterior declivity; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove indistinct; propodeal spines short, triangular, apex acute. Sculpture foveolate, katepisternum and mesonotum smooth. Pilosity sparse, long, and erect. Petiole. Peduncle moderately long and thin; node low, globular, and small; with few long, erect setae. Postpetiole. Short, low, and convex; with few short, erect setae. Petiole. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Unicolourous, yellowish brown to brown.

Unless otherwise noted above, the following characters occur in this species, and the majority of Pheidole minors of Madagascar described by Salata and Fisher 2020a. Antennal sockets shallow; frontal lobes 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; petiole with node moderately low, triangular and small postpetiole smooth; gaster smooth and shiny.

Type Material
Holotype. Madagascar. 1 major worker; Toamasina; Corridor Forestier Analamay-Mantadia, Tsaravoniana; -18.76124, 48.42134; alt. 939 m; 3 Dec 2012; B.L. Fisher et al. leg.; BLF30003, CASENT0297006. Paratype. Madagascar. 1 w.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0923169 (CASC).

Etymology
From the type locality.