Pheidole analavelona

The species was collected between 1100-1300 m in elevation, in montane rainforest. Nests were located in rotten logs and under stones.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - A member of the Pheidole sikorae species group. Moderately large species. Major: Head in full-face view oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides convex, in lateral view sub-oval, ventral and dorsal faces convex, occipital cleft moderately deep; sides of the head with dense, very long, suberect to erect pilosity; frons with thick, irregular rugae, moderately dense on lateral sides and sparser on medial part; interspaces shiny with distinct and sparse rugoreticulae; occipital lobes, area posterolateral from eyes never smooth; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by one-fifth of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, large, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex directed inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider than inner hypostomal teeth and approximately the same height, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth not closely spaced and not connected by concavity; mesosoma with dense rugofoveolae; pronotum, mesonotum, katepisternum, and anepisternum with additional thick to thin, irregular to transverse rugae; body dark brown. Minor: Head foveolate; medial frons with foveolae sparser and with moderately thick longitudinal and interrupted rugae; lateral sides of frons and vertex with additional moderately thick rugae; area posterolateral from eyes with reduced sculpture and smooth notches; scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length; promesonotum moderately high and short; promesonotal groove absent; propodeal spines minute and triangular; propodeum predominantly smooth with indistinct rugofoveolae on lateral sides; mesonotum, anepisternum, katepisternum, and propodeum with sparse and indistinct rugofoveolae; body dark orange.

Pheidole analavelona is a member of the group of species characterised by major workers with head in full-face view oval and not widening posteriorly and medial part of frons with thick, moderately sparse, and irregular rugae or medial frons with moderately dense, thin, longitudinal anteriorly to irregular posteriorly, and interrupted rugae and very shallow occipital cleft. Minor workers of this group have short and moderately high promesonotum and dark body colouration ranging from orange to brown. The group consists of three species: Pheidole vadum, P. analavelona, and Pheidole ambohimanga. Pheidole analavelona is known from Fort Classée d'Analavelona in Toliara and its distribution does not overlap with that of the two remaining members of the group known from the vicinity of Antananarivo. Morphologically both minor and major workers of P. analavelona are most similar to P. ambohimanga Majors of P. analavelona can be distinguished based on distinctly rugoreticulate interspaces on head while minor workers have head sculpture foveolate with foveolae sparser on frons and area posterolateral from eyes, and sparse but never absent rugofoveolae on mesonotum, anepisternum, katepisternum, and propodeum. Minors of P. analavelona can be easily separated from other members of the sikorae group based on short and moderately high promesonotum and additional, moderately thick to thick, longitudinal, and interrupted rugae on head.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Worker
minor

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole analavelona Salata & Fisher, 2020: 36, figs. 21A–F, 63C, 65C (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 10): HL: 0.97-1.02 (1.0); HW: 0.95-1.0 (0.98); SL: 0.64-0.67 (0.66); EL: 0.11-0.13 (0.12); WL: 0.88-0.95 (0.92); PSL: 0.13-0.15 (0.14); MTL: 0.57-0.6 (0.58); PNW: 0.44-0.48 (0.46); PTW: 0.13-0.17 (0.14); PPW: 0.26-0.29 (0.28); CI: 101.0-104.4 (102.0); SI: 65.3-69.3 (67.1); PSLI: 13.1-15.4 (14.1); PPI: 44.8-57.2 (52.2); PNI: 46.2-48.8 (47.4); MTI: 57.0-61.8 (59.3).

Head. In full-face view oval, not widening posteriorly, with anterior and posterior sides convex. In lateral view sub-oval; ventral and dorsal faces convex; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with dense, very long, suberect to erect pilosity; whole head with dense, long, decumbent to erect pilosity. Frons with thick, irregular rugae, moderately dense on lateral sides and sparser on medial part; interspaces shiny with distinct and sparse rugoreticulae. Occipital lobes with relatively dense, thick, and irregular rugae; interspaces rugoreticulate. Gena with relatively dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae and rugoreticulate interspaces. Area posterolateral from eyes with moderately dense, thick, and irregular rugae; interspaces shiny with distinct and sparse rugoreticulae. 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 one-fifth of its length; pilosity subdecumbent to erect. Inner hypostomal teeth distinct, large, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex directed inward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, wider than inner hypostomal teeth and approximately the same height, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth not closely spaced and not connected by concavity. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum short, angular, and moderately low, posterior mesonotum moderately steep, mesonotal process indistinct, tubercle-like; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove indistinct; propodeal spines moderately short, with wide base and acute apex; humeral area laterally weakly produced. Surface shiny with dense rugofoveolae; pronotum, mesonotum, katepisternum, and anepisternum with additional thick to thin, irregular to transverse rugae. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Petiole. Shiny with fine foveolae; node smooth to finely foveolate, low, triangular, with rounded and thin apex, in rear view node dorsoventrally straight to 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; pilosity dense, long, and erect. Colour. Dark brown; legs and antennae yellow.

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 = 10): HL: 0.55-0.59 (0.57); HW: 0.46-0.48 (0.47); SL: 0.59-0.63 (0.62); EL: 0.09-0.11 (0.1); WL: 0.69-0.73 (0.71); PSL: 0.06-0.09 (0.08); MTL: 0.46-0.49 (0.47); PNW: 0.32-0.35 (0.33); PTW: 0.07-0.1 (0.08); PPW: 0.12-0.14 (0.13); CI: 116.6-124.7 (120.7); SI: 125.9-133.5 (130.5); PSLI: 10.6-15.1 (14.0); PPI: 55.0-81.5 (66.0); PNI: 67.4-72.0 (69.8); MTI: 97.3-102.3 (99.4).

Head. Cephalic margin indistinctly concave or straight. Pilosity relatively dense, long, decumbent to suberect. Sculpture foveolate; medial frons with foveolae sparser and with moderately thick, longitudinal, and interrupted rugae; lateral sides of frons and vertex with additional moderately thick rugae; area posterolateral from eyes with reduced sculpture and smooth notches; antennal sockets with few thick, curved outward rugae and foveolate interspaces. Clypeus with median longitudinal carina absent; two lateral longitudinal carinae absent. Scape, when laid back, surpassing the posterior head margin by two-fifths of its length; pilosity dense, subdecumbent to erect. Mesosoma. In lateral view, promesonotum moderately high and short, arched; promesonotal groove absent; metanotal groove distinct; propodeal spines minute, triangular. Sculpture shiny; propodeum predominantly smooth with indistinct rugofoveolae on lateral sides; mesonotum, anepisternum, katepisternum, and propodeum with sparse and indistinct rugofoveolae. Pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Dark orange, gaster slightly darker.

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; Toliara; Fort Classée d'Analavelona, 33.2 km 344°NNW Mahaboboka; -22.64333, 44.17167; alt. 1300 m; 22 Feb 2003; Fisher et al. leg.; montane rainforest, ex rotten log; BLF07970; CASENT0491849, top specimen on the pin. Paratypes. 9w., 6s., 2m.; same data as for holotype; CASENT0491847, CASENT0491846, CASENT0872248, CASENT0491850, CASENT0491845, CASENT0491844, CASENT0491848 (CASC,, ).

Etymology
From the type locality.