Pheidole sculpturata

Identification
A member of the excellens species group.

Collingwood and Agosti (1996) - SI 0.407; HW/PPW 0.335. These have the large workers more heavily sculptured than those recorded from Saudi Arabia (Collingwood 1985). In addition, the small workers are also larger and have conspicuous erect pubescence on the antennae and legs. The Saudi Arabian examples are now referred to Pheidole katonae.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Afrotropical Region: Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates. Palaearctic Region: Iran, Oman.

Nomenclature

 *  sculpturata. Pheidole sculpturata Mayr, 1866b: 897 (s.) SOUTH AFRICA. Emery, 1895h: 31 (w.). Current subspecies: nominal plus areolata, berthoudi, dignata, particeps, rhodesiana, welgelegenensis, zambesiana. See also: Arnold, 1920a: 462.