Pheidole nemoralis species group

Based on Salata & Fisher, 2020.

Species
Pheidole bemarivoensis complex Pheidole nemoralis complex
 * Pheidole bemarahaensis
 * Pheidole bemarivoensis
 * Pheidole nemoralis
 * Pheidole ala

Species Identification

 * Key to Pheidole nemoralis species group

Group Diagnosis
Major workers Body size small; head in full-face view square or subrectangular, anterior and posterior sides of eyes slightly convex, in lateral view sub-oval or sub-rectangular, dorsal face not depressed or finely depressed posteriorly; antennal scrobes indistinct and not delimited by carinulae; scrobe surface foveolate with sparse, thick, longitudinal to irregular rugae; occipital lobes with indistinct to distinct, sparse, irregular rugae, interspaces smooth to foveolate; frons with dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces smooth to rugo-foveolate; promesonotum moderately short, relatively low and convex; promesonotal and metanotal groove absent; propodeal spines small to moderately long, triangular; mesosoma with fine foveolae or rugo-foveolae; gaster smooth or indistinctly shagreened; body bright brown to dark brown.

Minor workers Head foveolate, sometimes with reduced or absent sculpture on genae; scape short, when laid back surpassing the posterior head margin by one to two-fifths of its length; promesonotum low, short or long, slightly convex, with relatively steep posterior declivity or declivity smoothly declining towards propodeum; promesonotal groove absent; mesosoma entirely foveolate or foveolate with smooth notches on its lateral sides; propodeal spines minute to moderately long, triangular; body yellow.

Distribution
Madagascar.

Pheidole bemarivoensis complex: Pheidole bemarahaensis is known only from its type locality (Parc National Tsingy de Bemaraha, Mahajanga) and is sympatric with P. bemarivoensis, which is distributed in lowlands spread between Belo and Ambilobe.

Pheidole nemoralis complex: two sympatric species distributed across the evergreen forest and central highlands biomes.

Additional Resources

 * Pheidole
 * Madagascar