Pheidole quinata

This species seems to inhabit hill forests. The type specimens were collected from bait traps and soil sifting on the forest floor along a trail.

Identification
This species and Pheidole sabahna both have subcastes with a 5-segmented antennal club. They are well distinguished from each other by the characters given below.

Eguchi (2000):

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia.

Nomenclature

 *  quinata. Pheidole quinata Eguchi, 2000: 691, figs. 11-18 (s.w.) BORNEO. See also: Eguchi, 2001b: 100.

Worker
Eguchi (2001) - Major (n=1): TL 5.0 mm, HL 2.40 mm, HW 2.24 mm, SL 1.24 mm, FL 1.91 mm, CI 93; SI 55, FI 85. Head in full-face view broadest just behind midlength of head (Fig. 40A); head in profile impressed on vertex (Fig. 40B). Hypostoma with three median processes, of which medianmost one is inconspicuous. Clypeus with a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin shallowly emarginate. Eye situated at 1/3 distance of head (as measured from the mid-point of a transverse line spanning the anteriormost and posteriormost projecting points, respectively); distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye ca. 2.2 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina very weak, just reaching 1/3 distance of head. Antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 5-segmented club (Fig. 40C); scape reaching 3/5 distance of head. Masticatory margin of head with apical and preapical teeth, and a denticle in front of basal angle. Promesonotal dome with a small prominence on its posterior declivity; the prominence in anterior view not concave medially; each dorsolateral portion of the dome weakly produced outward (Fig. 40D). Mesopleuron weakly divided by a transverse impression into upper and lower parts. Propodeal spine horn-like, straight, ca. 3 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole cuneiform, almost as long as postpetiole, bearing a low subpetiolar process (Fig. 40E); petiolar node in posterior view emarginate at apex. Postpetiole in dorsal view subpentagonal, ca. 2.2 times as broad as petiolar node.

Frons longitudinally rugose; vertex, occipital lobe and lateral face of head rugoso-reticulate, with very weakly punctured enclosures; promesonotum with transverse but irregular rugulae; mesopleuron partially smooth and shining; propodeum rugose except for its smooth declivitous face; petiole smooth and shining dorsally, finely punctured laterally and ventrally; postpetiole and the anterior part of first gastral segment finely punctured. Outer face of mandible sparsely covered with decumbent hairs, which are 0.13-0.26 mm in length and longer than distance between pUigerous punctures. Body dark brown; flagella and legs brown.

Minor (n=16): TL 2.5-2.7 mm, HL 0.78-0.84 mm, HW 0.70-0.75 mm, SL 1.06-1.13 mm, AL 1.15-1.23 mm, FL 1.16-1.25 mm, CI 86-89, SI 147-154, FI 164-168. Head in full-face view oval (Fig. 40F); occipital carina well developed. Clypeus with a weak median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin weakly emarginate medially. Eye situated at about midlength of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.1-1.2 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 5-segmented club (Fig. 40G); in full-face view scape well extending beyond posterior margin of head by more than its 1/3 length. Promesonotum forming a relatively high dome, with a pair of low tubercles, with a prominence on its posterior declivity. Mesopleuron without a transverse impression. Metanotal groove shallow and indistinct (Fig. 40H). Propodeal spine horn-like, slender, directed dorsally, at most 5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole in profile cuneiform, 0.8-0.9 times as long as postpetiole; petiolar node in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole longer than broad, almost twice as broad as petiole, in profile hemispherical, convex dorsally and slightly convex ventrally.

Clypeus smooth and shining, sometimes with a few rugulae; remainder of head almost smooth and shining; promesonotum smooth and shining; remainder of alitrunk distinctly punctured; petiole (excluding weakly punctured lateral face) smooth and shining; postpetiole and gaster almost smooth and shining over the surface. In profile dorsum of promesonotal dome in front of the prominence on its posterior declivity bearing approximately 20 standing hairs; remainder of dorsum of alitrunk bearing approximately 10 standing hairs (Fig. 40H). Head and alitrunk brown to dark brown; petiole, postpetiole, gaster, flagellar segments and legs lighter than alitrunk.

Type Material
Eguchi (2001) - Major holotype. Paratypes 9 minors. Sayap Kinabalu (ca. 1000 m alt.), Sabah, Borneo. Honey bait. K Eguchi leg.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Eguchi K. 2000. Two new Pheidole species with a 5-segmented antennal club (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomological Science 3: 687-692.
 * Eguchi K. 2001. A revision of the Bornean species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Tropics Monograph Series 2: 1-154.
 * Kishimoto-Yamata K., F. Hyodo, M. Matsuoka, Y. Hashimoto, M. Kon, T. Ochi, S. Yamane, R. Ishii, and T. Itioka. 2012. Effects of remnant primary forests on ant and dung beetle species diversity in a secondary forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Journal of Insect Conservation DOI 10.1007/s10841-012-9544-6
 * Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58