Ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen): zoogeography, distribution and description of a new species Author Sharaf, Mostafa R. Author Fisher, Brian L. Author Collingwood, Cedric A. Author Aldawood, Abdulrahman S. text Journal of Natural History 2017 J. Nat. Hist. 2017-01-27 51 5 - 6 317 378 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2016.1271157 journal article 55739 10.1080/00222933.2016.1271157 f91a0e7b-c4c5-458a-858a-9de4cf82e13f 1464-5262 5184295 89612083-9CE6-48E8-8975-1CE5334E098B Pheidole indica Mayr, 1879 ( Figure 18 (a–c)) Pheidole indica Mayr, 1879: 679 (s.w.q.) India . Indomalaya. Diagnosis Major worker . Cephalic dorsum with oblique longitudinal rugae posteriorly, curved toward posterolateral lobes; promesonotal process prominent and well-developed; metanotal groove shallow in profile; postpetiole in dorsal view trapezoidal with rounded lateral corners; postpetiole 1.9–2.5 times broader than petiole in dorsal view; postpetiolar ventral process reduced. Figure 18. Pheidole indica . (a) Body in profile. (b) Head in full-face view, CASENT0906401, AntWeb. org, (Estella Ortega), KSA. (c) Distribution map from Collingwood et al. (2004) . Geographic range A successful invasive species originally described from India and recorded from the Canary Islands ( Espadaler and Bernal 2003 ) and broadly distributed in several regions of the world, including the Arabian Peninsula ( Collingwood 1985 ; Collingwood and Agosti 1996 ), the Mediterranean region, West Indian islands, the Malagasy region and the New World, with many scattered records in several continents ( Fischer and Fisher 2013 ). Ecological and biological notes This species prefers drier habitats ( Wetterer 2011 ) and urban areas ( Collingwood et al. 1997 ; Gòmez and Espadaleer 2006 ). It was observed to be aggressive toward other ant species in the same habitats ( Collingwood 1985 ) with a negative impact on local native ants, e.g. Pheidole sinaitica Mayr, 1862 (Collingwood, personal communication).