Pheidole tampony

The species was collected at 2100 m in elevation, in montane shrubland. Nest was located under rootmat on stone.

Identification
Salata and Fisher (2020) - Moderately large species. Major: Head in full-face view sub-oval and 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 thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces; occipital lobes predominantly smooth, only anterior part with indistinct longitudinal rugae; denser and thinner longitudinal rugae with rugulate interspaces; area posterolateral from eyes with reduced sculpture and predominantly smooth; scape, when laid back, exceeding the midlength of head by approximately two-fifths of its length; inner hypostomal teeth distinct, distinct, moderately large, closely spaced, triangular, with rounded apex directed upward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, narrower than and approximately as high as inner teeth, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth closely spaced and not connected by concavity; mesosoma rugofoveolate; pronotum with sparse foveolae, its dorsum with smooth notch; katepisternum with large, smooth notch; body brown. Minor: Head foveolate; median frons with short and indistinct longitudinal rugulae; vertex with fading sculpture; area posterolateral from eyes smooth; scape, when laid back, exceeding the posterior head margin by one-third of its length; promesonotum low and moderately long; promesonotal groove present; propodeal spines small and triangular; mesosoma foveolate; body bright brown.

Pheidole tampony is a member of a group of species characterised by distinctly reduced head sculpture in major workers with occipital lobes entirely or predominantly smooth, area posterolateral from eyes partially or entirely smooth and shiny or with reduced sculpture and smooth notches. The group consists of four species: Pheidole litigiosa, Pheidole masoandro, Pheidole gracilis, and P. tampony. Pheidole tampony is known only from Parc National de Marojejy in Antsiranana and its distribution does not overlap with other members of this group. Both minor and major workers of this species can be easily separated from other members of this group based on darker, bright brown to brown body colouration. However, major workers of P. tampony can be confused with majors of sympatric Pheidole manantenina. Pheidole tampony can be separated based on presence of distinct smooth notch on posteriormost part of area posterolateral from eyes and partially smooth occipital lobes (P. manantenina has posteriormost part of area posterolateral from eyes and occipital lobes with sparse and reduced sculpture that are never smooth), lower promesonotum with more distinctly developed mesonotal process (P. manantenina has promesonotum higher and lacking mesonotal process), and smooth notch on katepisternum (P. manantenina has katepisternum entirely sculptured). Both taxa distinctly differ in minor workers: P. tampony has minors with predominantly foveolate head and mesosoma and long and low promesonotum, while minors of P. manantenina have head and mesosoma predominantly smooth and shorter and higher promesonotum.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Malagasy Region: Madagascar.

Worker
minor

Nomenclature

 * . Pheidole tampony Salata & Fisher, 2020: 150, figs. 56A–F, 64N, 67F (w.) MADAGASCAR.

Worker
Major (N = 1): HL: 1.36; HW: 1.36; SL: 0.87; EL: 0.19; WL: 1.34; PSL: 0.23; MTL: 0.89; PNW: 0.5; PTW: 0.18; PPW: 0.34; CI: 100.1; SI: 64.0; PSLI: 17.0; PPI: 52.1; PNI: 36.6; MTI: 65.4.

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; inner hypostomal teeth visible. Sides of the head with dense, long, erect pilosity; whole head with dense, long, decumbent to erect pilosity. Medial part of frons with thick, interrupted, dense, and longitudinal rugae with smooth to indistinctly rugulate interspaces; lateral sides of frons with dense, thick, and longitudinal rugae, interspaces with dense rugulae. Occipital lobes predominantly smooth, only anterior part with indistinct longitudinal rugae. Area posterolateral from eyes with denser and thinner longitudinal rugae with rugulate interspaces, posteriormost parts with reduced sculpture and predominantly smooth. Gena with relatively sparse, thick, and longitudinal rugae with distinctly rugulate interspaces. Centre of clypeus indistinctly foveolate and having 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, triangular, with rounded apex directed upward; outer hypostomal teeth lobe-like, narrower than and approximately as high as inner teeth, apex directed outward; inner and outer hypostomal teeth 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 absent; propodeal spines moderately long, with narrow base and acute apex; humeral area produced. Surface shiny and rugofoveolate; pronotum with sparse foveolae, its dorsum with smooth notch; katepisternum with large, smooth notch. 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; pilosity moderately dense, long, and erect. Colour. Brown, gaster slightly darker.

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: 0.68; HW: 0.57; SL: 0.81; EL: 0.13; WL: 0.93; PSL: 0.12; MTL: 0.65; PNW: 0.4; PTW: 0.09; PPW: 0.16; CI: 119.5; SI: 141.6; PSLI: 17.0; PPI: 54.7; PNI: 69.6; MTI: 114.2.

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; vertex with fading sculpture; area posterolateral from eyes smooth; 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 small and triangular. Sculpture shiny and foveolate. Pilosity very sparse, moderately long, and erect. Gaster. With sparse, erect pilosity. Colour. Bright brown.

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; Antsiranana; Sava Region: Parc National de Marojejy, near summit, 25.4 km 20.1°NE Andapa; -14.44918, 49.73243; alt. 2100 m; 10 Feb 2018; B. L. Fisher et al. leg.; montane shrubland, under rootmat, on stone; BLF40950; CASENT0809550. Paratype. 1w.; same data as for holotype, CASENT0923285 (CASC).

Etymology
Malagasy for summit in reference to the type locality located close to the mountain peak.