Pheidole tsaravoniana

The species was collected at 1036 m in elevation, in rainforest. Its nest was located in a rotten log.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - Moderately large species. Major: Head in full-face view sub-oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides slightly convex, in lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; sides of the head with moderately dense, moderately long, suberect pilosity; medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with distinctly rugulate interspaces; lateral sides of frons with dense, thick, and longitudinally irregular rugae, interspaces with dense rugulae; occipital lobes and area posterolateral from eyes without smooth notches; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderately large, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex directed inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider than and approximately as high as inner teeth, apex directed upward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and connected by indistinct concavity; mesosoma rugofoveolate; pronotum with additional thin, moderately dense, and transverse rugae; gaster smooth with base indistinctly shagreened; body ferruginous. Minor: Head foveolate, foveolae sparse; scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by one-third of its length; promesonotum low and moderately long; promesonotal groove absent; propodeal spines minute and triangular; mesosoma foveolate; katepisternum with large smooth notch; dorsal side of promesonotum and lateral sides of pronotum with reduced sculpture and smooth notches on medial parts; body yellowish brown.

Pheidole tsaravoniana is described from the vicinity of Tsaravoniana in Toamasina and is parapatric with Pheidole renirano from several localities distributed in the Toamasina prefecture (from Réserve Spéciale Ambatovaky north to Antanambe). Both taxa have very similar morphology. Major workers of P. tsaravoniana can be distinguished from majors of P. renirano based on ferruginous body colouration and promesonotal dorsum with transverse and more irregular rugae with distinctly rugofoveolae interspaces; minors can be separated based on brown body, never reduced sculpture, and lack of smooth notches on medial parts of dorsal side of promesonotum and lateral sides of pronotum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole tsaravoniana Salata & Fisher, 2020: 160, figs. 58A–F, 64P, 67H (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 1): HL: 1.27; HW: 1.0; SL: 0.9; EL: 0.17; WL: 1.21; PSL: 0.18; MTL: 0.86; PNW: 0.5; PTW: 0.14; PPW: 0.3; CI: 126.7; SI: 89.4; PSLI: 14.4; PPI: 47.5; PNI: 49.8; MTI: 86.2.

Head. In full-face sub-oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides slightly convex. In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with moderately dense, moderately long, suberect pilosity; whole head with dense, long, decumbent to erect pilosity. Medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with distinctly rugulate interspaces; lateral sides of frons with dense, thick, and longitudinally irregular rugae, interspaces with dense rugulae. Occipital lobes with irregular and thinner rugae and indistinctly rugulate interspaces. Area posterolateral from eyes with sparse, thick, irregular to longitudinal rugae with distinctly rugulate interspaces. Gena with relatively sparse, thick, and longitudinal rugae and distinctly rugulate interspaces. Centre of clypeus smooth and shiny, lateral sides with indistinct rugulae; median notch present, moderately wide, and shallow; median longitudinal carina present; lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by two-fifths of its length; pilosity subdecumbent to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, moderately large, closely spaced, and triangular, with rounded apex directed inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider than and approximately as high as inner teeth, apex directed upward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and connected by indistinct concavity. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and moderately low, posterior mesonotum moderately steep, mesonotal process indistinct and tubercle-like; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines moderate, with wide base and acute apex; humeral area weakly produced. Surface shiny and rugofoveolate; pronotum with additional thin, moderately dense, and transverse rugae. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny with dense foveolae; node finely foveolate, triangular, with rounded and thick apex, in rear view node dorsoventrally slightly convex; pilosity moderately sparse and erect. Postpetiole. Shiny and foveolate; dorsum with reduced sculpture and smooth notch; in dorsal view oval, lateral margins medially with two dentate projections; pilosity long, moderately sparse, and erect. Gaster. Shiny and smooth with slightly shagreened base; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Colour. Ferruginous, gaster slightly darker, legs yellowish.

The following characters are found in most Pheidole sikorae species-group majors in Madagascar (Salata and Fisher 2020b). These characters also occur in , except for any differences noted in the paragraph above. Dorsal face of head in lateral view not depressed posteriorly; 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 absent; promesonotum strongly convex, well above the level of propodeum; petiolar peduncle with small horizontal lobes on its basal part; postpetiole short with slightly convex dorsum; petiolar peduncle without horizontal lobes on its basal part; body unicolourous.

Minor (N = 1): HL: 0.66; HW: 0.52; SL: 0.81; EL: 0.12; WL: 0.88; PSL: 0.08; MTL: 0.69; PNW: 0.37; PTW: 0.1; PPW: 0.14; CI: 128.9; SI: 157.5; PSLI: 11.7; PPI: 72.2; PNI: 71.8; MTI: 133.6.

Head. Cephalic margin slightly convex. Pilosity relatively sparse, moderately long, subdecumbent to erect. Sculpture shiny and foveolate; median frons with short and indistinct longitudinal rugulae; area posterolateral from eyes with weaker sculpture; antennal sockets with few indistinct, curved outward rugae and foveolate interspaces. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by one-third of its length; pilosity dense, subdecumbent to erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum low and moderately long, arched; promesonotal groove indistinct; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines minute and triangular. Sculpture shiny and foveolate. Pilosity very sparse, moderately long, and erect. Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Brown, legs yellowish.

The following characters are found in most Pheidole sikorae species-group minors in Madagascar (Salata and Fisher 2020b). These characters also occur in , except for any differences noted in the paragraph above. Antennal sockets shallow; frontal lobes absent; occipital carina 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, with node moderately low, triangular, and small, with few short, erect setae; petiolar peduncle with ventral face slightly convex; postpetiole smooth, short, low, and slightly convex, with few short, erect setae; gaster smooth and shiny; body unicolourous.

Type Material
Holotype. Madagascar. 1 major worker; Toamasina; Corridor Forestier Analamay-Mantadia, Tsaravoniana; -18.75641, 48.42195; alt. 1036 m; 7 Dec 2012; B. L. Fisher et al. leg.; rainforest, ex rotten log; BLF30162; CASENT0300007. Paratype. 1w.; same data as for holotype, CASENT0923286 (CASC).

Etymology
From the type locality.