Pheidole sikorae species group

Based on Salata & Fisher, 2020b.

Species

 * Pheidole alina
 * Pheidole ambohimanga
 * Pheidole analavelona
 * Pheidole andohahela
 * Pheidole anomala
 * Pheidole anosyenne
 * Pheidole antranohofa
 * Pheidole beanka
 * Pheidole befotaka
 * Pheidole dasos
 * Pheidole flavominuta
 * Pheidole gracilis
 * Pheidole haboka
 * Pheidole havoana
 * Pheidole hazo
 * Pheidole itremo
 * Pheidole joffreville
 * Pheidole kely
 * Pheidole lavasoa
 * Pheidole litigiosa
 * Pheidole mahamavo
 * Pheidole mainty
 * Pheidole mamiratra
 * Pheidole manantenina
 * Pheidole masoandro
 * Pheidole mavohavoana
 * Pheidole midongy
 * Pheidole mikros
 * Pheidole mivory
 * Pheidole nitidobruna
 * Pheidole parvula
 * Pheidole parvulogibba
 * Pheidole renirano
 * Pheidole sava
 * Pheidole sikorae
 * Pheidole sofia
 * Pheidole sparsa
 * Pheidole tampony
 * Pheidole trichotos
 * Pheidole tsaravoniana
 * Pheidole vadum
 * Pheidole veteratrix
 * Pheidole volontany
 * Pheidole vony

Species Identification

 * Key to Pheidole sikorae species group

Group Diagnosis
Major workers Postpetiole in profile without conspicuous ventral convexity; antennal sockets shallow; frontal lobes absent or indistinct; propodeal spines small to moderate, never very long and narrow; head in full-face view sub-oval with lateral sides from relatively straight to convex (sometimes when sides of head are relatively straight head appears sub-rectangular), often head slightly widening posteriorly; head in lateral view sub-oval with distinctly convex sides; occipital lobes never with transverse rugae and in most cases entirely sculptured (except Pheidole tampony, Pheidole gracilis, Pheidole litigiosa, and Pheidole masoandro); frons entirely sculptured, medially with predominantly longitudinal to irregular rugae, lateral sides with rugae more irregular or longitudinally irregular; antennal scrobes absent; rugae on head always thick and distinct; promesonotum short, angular, and moderately high; postpetiole in dorsal view with lateral margins medially with two dentate, small to moderate projections; gaster most often smooth (except Pheidole mikros, Pheidole beanka, Pheidole trichotos, Pheidole renirano, Pheidole tsaravoniana, Pheidole mivory).

Minor workers Postpetiole in profile without conspicuous ventral convexity; antennal sockets shallow; frontal lobes absent or indistinct; propodeal spines minute to moderate, never very long and narrow; promesonotum in lateral view never box-like and posterior mesonotum never steep; promesonotal groove absent or distinct but never very deep; posterior region of the head never elongated into short to long neck.

Distribution
Madagascar. Members of the sikorae group are predominantly distributed across the central highlands, evergreen rainforest, and Sambirano rainforest. Very few records of these species are from arid and dry biomes. Also, Antsiranana prefecture emerges as a region characterised by the highest diversity of the group.

Additional Resources

 * Pheidole species group of Madagascar
 * Key to Pheidole species groups of Madagascar
 * Pheidole
 * Madagascar